US President Trump reportedly refused to disclose a positive result from a rapid test for the coronavirus on Thursday.
Trump, who is now being treated for the coronavirus, received the result before making an appearance on Fox News, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“I’ll get my test back either tonight or tomorrow morning,” Mr. Trump said during the interview. At 1 am on Friday.
“Don’t tell anyone,” Trump told an adviser about disclosing the results of their own positive test.
"The initial secrecy within Mr. Trump’s inner circle has created a sense of anxiety within the West Wing. Publicly, the White House has issued evolving and contradictory statements about the president’s health that has some officials worried about their own credibility," read the report.
Trump left his hospital suite on Sunday to greet his supporters outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from his motorcade.
BREAKING: President @realDonaldTrump greets supporters outside of Walter Reed:
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) October 4, 2020
pic.twitter.com/2BSt2Xz2te
"President Trump took a short, last-minute motorcade ride to wave to his supporters outside and has now returned to the Presidential Suite inside Walter Reed," deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.
President @realDonaldTrump drives by his supporters outside Walter Reed to thank them!pic.twitter.com/LlJr7umi8O
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 4, 2020
The "surprise" visit caused outrage from many, including the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) as well as James Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed.
Why is a sick President riding in an SUV waving to supporters outside Walter Reed, jeopardizing the Secret Service agents inside the car with him?
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) October 4, 2020
"Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential 'drive-by' just now has to be quarantined for 14 days," Phillips said. "They might get sick. They may die. For political theater. This is insanity."
WHCA President Zeke Miller also called the move "outrageous" in a statement.
President @realDonaldTrump just came out to thank his supporters in front of Walter Reed! Get well soon President Trump! pic.twitter.com/BhLqwSdBTJ
— Megan Powers (@_MeganPowers) October 4, 2020
“It is outrageous for the president to have left the hospital — even briefly — amid a health crisis without a protective pool present to ensure that the American people know where their president is and how he is doing," Miller said. "Now more than ever, the American public deserves independent coverage of the president so they can be reliably informed about his health."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2020
The president, meanwhile, claimed that he had actually "learned about" the virus.
“It’s been a very interesting journey. I learned a lot about covid. I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. This isn't the let's-read-the-books school,” Trump said in a video posted to Twitter. “And I get it, and I understand it and it's a very interesting thing and i’m going to be letting you know about it.”