Trump's physician says he is fever-free and not currently on oxygen
Dr. Sean Conley, President Trump's physician, provided an update Saturday on the president's condition at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the president spent the night after he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19. He said the president was fever-free, but sidestepped several questions about whether Mr. Trump had received oxygen treatment.
"This morning, the president is doing very well," Conley told reporters. He also said Mr. Trump is "just 72 hours into the diagnosis now," creating confusion about when the president found out he had COVID-19. Seventy-two hours earlier would point to a diagnosis on Wednesday, and the president met in person with officials in Minnesota on Wednesday and appeared at a fundraiser at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday.
Conley later said in a memo that he had meant "day three" — not 72 hours — and that the president was first diagnosed on Thursday.
At the conference, Conley avoided answering questions about when the president had last tested negative for the virus, and when he had been infected.
Conley also said that he was "extremely happy with the progress the president has made," and added that "the president has been fever-free for over 24 hours."
However, a source familiar with the president's health told reporters on Saturday that Mr. Trump's vitals were "very concerning."
"The president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery," the source said.
Conley said he did not want to put a "hard date" for when Mr. Trump would be discharged. Conley said that Mr. Trump was not receiving oxygen treatment on Saturday. He also repeatedly avoided questions about whether the president was treated with supplemental oxygen prior to Saturday, before finally saying he was not on oxygen on Thursday and had not been treated with oxygen when the president was at Walter Reed on Friday. However, he did not say whether the president had been treated with oxygen on Friday at the White House.
Two sources confirmed to CBS News on Saturday afternoon that Mr. Trump received oxygen at the White House Friday before heading to Walter Reed. However, oxygen treatment is the default for patients in this situation, and it is unclear whether he had trouble breathing and actually needed it.
Conley declined to disclose the president's temperature when he had a fever, but said the president had been feverish from Thursday into Friday.
Dr. Sean Dooley, another member of the president's medical team, said the president "is in exceptionally good spirits," adding that the president told him "I feel like I could walk out of here today."
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that Mr. Trump had "mild symptoms" and was being transferred to Walter Reed "out of an abundance of caution and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts." White House sources said Mr. Trump had a low-grade fever.
Mr. Trump tweeted an update from the hospital, where he will be spending the next few days "Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!" he wrote late Friday.