Trump faces criticism for his drive-by visit to supporters outside hospital | DW News

US President Donald Trump briefly left the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to greet his supporters outside, waving at them from his presidential motorcade on Sunday. Trump previously posted a video saying there have been "great reports" from the doctors before thanking them. He added that he met soldiers and first responders at the hospital, and pledged to pay a "little surprise visit" to supporters outside the medical center.

Some medical experts criticized Trump's public appearance outside the hospital. James Phillips, chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University called the motorcade "political theater" and "insanity." "Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential 'drive-by' just now has to be quarantined for 14 days," said Phillips. "They may get sick. They may die. For political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater. This is insanity."

Dr. Sean Conley acknowledged the confusion during a press conference Sunday outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where Trump is being treated for COVID-19. Conley said the president had a "high fever" and a blood oxygen level below 94% on Friday before he was hospitalized. Trump received supplemental oxygen for about an hour at the White House. Doctors said Trump will be treated for five days with the steroid dexamethasone to help with lung function after his oxygen level dropped on Friday and Saturday. "The president has continued to improve,'' said Conley, adding that Trump has been "fever-free" for 24 hours.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, expressed concern Sunday that the public is not receiving trustworthy information on Trump’s condition. Pelosi added that she is worried that information being shared with the public by Trump's medical team is subject to the president’s approval.