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Trump coronavirus news: Masked President airlifted from White House lawn to begin Walter Reed hospitalisation

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Joe Sommerlad,Adam Withnall,Justin Vallejo
Saturday 03 October 2020 01:25 BST
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Marine One takes off as Trump is transferred to Walter Reed medical center

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Donald Trump gave a thumbs up and waved to well-wishers as he walked to Marine 1 to begin hospitalisation at Walter Reed Medical Centre on Friday afternoon following cold-like symptoms of a fever and cough.  

A White House spokesperson said it was a precautionary measure, while Trump's doctor said the president was taking a mix of drugs, including Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail as well as aspirin, zinc, vitamin D, famotidine and melatonin.

Trump's campaign staff cancelled all in-person events for the first family, with Mike Pence to step in. Joe Biden, meanwhile, flew to Michigan to continue his campaign after testing negative, saying he sends prayers for Trump's 'health and safety'.

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Pence tests negative for coronavirus

Vice-president Mike Pence has tested negative for coronavirus, his press secretary has said. 

It comes just hours after President Donald Trump revealed he and first lady Melania Trump had received positive results for the virus, and would be forced to go into isolation.

Mr Pence would become commander-in-chief should Mr Trump at any point become incapacitated by the illness.

Tom Embury-Dennis2 October 2020 13:16

Who is Hope Hicks?

If you’re not familiar with the former model and senior White House aide whose positive test fired the starting gun on all this madness, Andrew Naughtie is here to fill you in.

Who is Hope Hicks, Trump’s closest aide who tested positive for coronavirus ?

The 31-year-old counsellor to the president suddenly found herself at the centre of a White House coronavirus outbreak

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 13:05

Trump’s mockery of Hillary Clinton’s pneumonia bout resurfaces four years on to the day

Eventual karma’s gonna get you, as John Lennon almost said.

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 12:45

Biden expected to get tested today

Here’s the latest on the Democratic presidential nominee, who, at 77, would be at high risk from the contagion too.

How likely is it that Biden is ill? 

This tweet from an Atlantic editor who was in attendance in Cleveland makes for alarming reading:

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 12:35

Ex-White House physician tries to reassure Fox viewers on Trump quarantine

How’s Fox News coping with developments this morning?

Well, Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade appears to be in denial and struggling to convince himself that this is a win for a president who has repeatedly made false and dismissive claims about a dangerous virus that he has now come down with, presiding over 208,000 American deaths and 7.31m cases in the process.

Meanwhile, ex-White House doctor Dr Ronny Jackson is offering a positive spin of his own regarding to the president’s stalled campaigning schedule.

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 12:25

Pence told rally crowd he met with Trump in Oval Office on Tuesday morning

Uh oh.

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 12:10

Trump’s announcement becomes his most viral tweet ever

In both senses of the word!

If you’re finding this week’s events exhausting by the way, you’re not alone.

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 12:00

‘He couldn’t even protect himself’

The Independent’s own John Rentoul has been giving his thoughts on the Trumps testing positive in an interview with talkRADIO this morning.

Meanwhile, Tom Embury-Dennis has this round-up of what US political commentators have to say.

World reacts as Trump reveals he and Melania have contracted coronavirus

Bombshell news throws presidential race into chaos just weeks before election

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 11:50

Melania Trump caught on tape talking about row over children separated at border

Even before this morning’s bombshell development, the first lady was already facing controversy after a former friend and aide released audio in which Mrs Trump can be heard talking about criticism she was subjected to over children being separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border.

“Give me a f***ing break,” the first lady complains on the recording played on Anderson Cooper’s CNN evening show.

The tapes were made by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who has just published a new book about their time together, entitled Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady.

Phil Thomas has the story.

Melania Trump caught on tape talking about row over children separated at border: ‘Give me a f***ing break’

First Lady says she wanted to help reunite children with their mothers but was stopped by ‘process’

Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 11:40

Trump threw MAGA cap into crowd in Minnesota one day before testing positive

“I love you to have whatever we have, we have it together,” the president said in Duluth - the night after the debate - a phrase that now looks bleakly ironic in the circumstances.

Trump throws hat into Minnesota crowd one day before testing positive for coronavirus
Joe Sommerlad2 October 2020 11:30

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