Walter Reed Attending Physician Calls Trump's Brief Drive-By 'Political Theater' And 'Insanity'
BETHESDA, Md. (WJZ) -- President Donald Trump briefly left a Maryland hospital Sunday evening to wave to supporters from his car, despite the CDC's guidelines to isolate when diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Dr. James Phillips, chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University and an attending physician at Walter Reed Medical Center, tweeted that Mr. Trump's brief departure from the hospital was "theater" and called it "insanity."
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President Trump revealed overnight Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He was taken to the Walter Reed Medical Center later that evening.
He also went through a "very concerning" period Friday and doctors said the next 48 hours would "be critical" in his care as he battled the coronavirus at a hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday.
TRUMP COVID COVERAGE:
- President Trump Said To Be Improving But Next 48 Hours Will Be 'Critical', Chief Of Staff Says
- President Trump Gets Second Dose Of Remdesivir To Treat Coronavirus, Could Be Discharged From The Hospital As Soon As Monday
- President Trump Leaves Walter Reed Briefly To Greet Supporters Outside
The president's visit came shortly after he promised his supporters "a surprise" in a video posted a video on social media.
Dr. Phillips said in the tweets that every person in the car with the president has to be quarantined, and that their lives were put at risk for "political theater."
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
This story was originally posted on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020.