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Managing Patient Trump: White House says 'upbeat' public health updates are to lift president's spirit but conflicting information damages their credibility as president fights COVID

  White House officials and members of   Donald Trump 's medical team indicated on Sunday the positive reports about the president's...

 White House officials and members of Donald Trump's medical team indicated on Sunday the positive reports about the president's health were being given to keep his spirits up as he battled COVID at Walter Reed Medical Center.

The confusion about the president's health condition came after White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows offered a contradictory statement on Saturday to what the doctors treated Trump said.  

Trump's personal physician Dr. Sean Conley said the president was doing 'very well' but Meadows told reporters after the briefing that Trump had a 'very concerning' situation on Friday and the next few days would be critical. 

White House communications director Alyssa Farah indicated Conley's positive comment about Trump doing well was directed to the president, who is known to watch the briefings, while Meadows wanted to give additional information in the name of being 'transparent.'

'When you're treating a patient, you want to project confidence, you want to lift their spirits and that was the intent. But of Chief of Staff Meadows came out to give you guys more information just to try to be as transparent as we can,' she told reporters at the White House on Sunday.

There also have been reports that staff inside the White House haven't been given updates about the medical situation, there has been little contact regarding tracing, and one adviser was told by the president not to reveal their positive test result, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal

Additionally Farah said the White House would release the number of positive tests among the staff.

But White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany contradicted that later Sunday. 

'No, there are privacy concerns we take very seriously safeguarding the information of the personnel here in the White House. So that’s basically where we stand right now,' she told reporters at the White House.

The confusion compounded to concern when Trump's medical team offered additional details on the president's condition and treatment on Sunday, raising questions about the seriousness of his attack even as they said he may be able to return to the White House on Monday.

Doctors said for the first time the president was given supplemental oxygen on Friday and was on an extensive drug treatment plan, many of which are given to patients in critical condition.

It's unclear if Trump is receiving such treatment because his condition is serious or if because he's the president. 

His oxygen levels dropped twice since his diagnosis but never below 90 per cent, Dr. Conley said on Sunday.  A normal oxygen reading is between 95 and 100 per cent. 

Conley also said the president received supplemental oxygen for about an hour on Friday at the White House and the drop - along with a 'high' fever - is part of what prompted the decision for Trump to go to Walter Reed.  Conley, on Saturday, evaded questions on whether the president received extra oxygen.

Additionally, Dr. Brian Garibaldi, a specialist in pulmonary critical care, said Trump received a second dose of the experimental drug remdesivir along with a first dose of dexamethasone, a steroid, on Saturday. 

Dexamethasone has been shown to help patients who are severely ill with COVID but it's not typically used in mild cases. In could be harmful early on as it could dampen the body's own immune response. On September  2, the World Health Organization recommended the steroid only be given to patients with 'severe and critical Covid-19.' 

Trump is in the high-risk category due to his age and weight.

The White House now faces transparency problems as the conflicting information has given the administration and the medical team credibility problems as they brief the American people.   

President Donald Trump briefly left his hospital room at Walter Reed Medical Center on Sunday to thank supporters lined up outside the hospital

President Donald Trump briefly left his hospital room at Walter Reed Medical Center on Sunday to thank supporters lined up outside the hospital

White House communications director Alyssa Farah said on Sunday Dr. Conley was being publicly optimistic to keep President Trump's spirits up while Mark Meadows was trying to be 'transparent' in their conflicting statements on Saturday

White House communications director Alyssa Farah said on Sunday Dr. Conley was being publicly optimistic to keep President Trump's spirits up while Mark Meadows was trying to be 'transparent' in their conflicting statements on Saturday

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, seen sitting on the bench at a briefing on President Trump's health by the medical team at Walter Reed on Sunday, has come under fire for his handling of the situation

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, seen sitting on the bench at a briefing on President Trump's health by the medical team at Walter Reed on Sunday, has come under fire for his handling of the situation

President Trump greets supporters outside Walter Reed Hospital
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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany walks outside of the White House to do interviews

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany walks outside of the White House to do interviews

The confusion began on Saturday, Meadows told reporters of the president: '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.' 

But he originally asked to be identified a person familiar with the president's condition when the quote was sent to the media via a pool report. However, he was caught on camera talking to the small pool of reporters who follow the president on a daily basis outside of Walter Reed Medical Center, leading to him to be identified by name. 

Conley, earlier that day, standing in front of Walter Reed in his white coat with two rows of medical personnel behind him, painted a different picture. 

'This morning, the president is doing very well. The team and I are extremely happy with the progress the president has made. He's been fever free for 24 hours and we are cautiously optimistic,' he said.

He was asked about the differences when he briefed reporters on Sunday.  

'I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude of the team, that the president, that his course of illness has had,' he said. 

He also seemed indicate he was trying to keep the president's spirits up when he added that he 'didn't want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction. And in doing so, came off like we're trying to hide something, which wasn't necessarily true.'  

McEnany, meanwhile, offered a different explanation of the contradictions to Fox News on Sunday.

'I think what was lost upon a lot of the media is that really Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Dr. Conley were talking about two different, distinct moments in time. Dr. Conley was summing up the president and his condition at that moment and really over the last 24 hours whereas Mark Meadows was referring to an incident in the White House where there was some temporary concern about oxygen levels, but it was quickly revised and taken care of before he headed out to Walter Reed,' she said. 

Compounding the problem is Trump's reluctance to be seen as weak - on anything. 

'Weakness,' Mary Trump wrote in her book 'Too Much and Never Enough' on the Trump family, 'was perhaps the greatest sin of all.' 

Whit House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows gave contradicting information on President Trump's health Saturday compared to what the medical team said; on Sunday, Meadows, above, did not make any public statements on Trump's health

Whit House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows gave contradicting information on President Trump's health Saturday compared to what the medical team said; on Sunday, Meadows, above, did not make any public statements on Trump's health

Dr. Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, told reporters Sunday he is giving an 'upbeat' message on Trump's health to reflect the attitude of the president and medical team

Dr. Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, told reporters Sunday he is giving an 'upbeat' message on Trump's health to reflect the attitude of the president and medical team

The White House has scrambled to show Trump in charge and running the country, despite the COVID diagnosis. 

Trump has posted two videos to Twitter since he checked into the hospital on Friday night. The White House also released two photos on Saturday of the president working in the presidential suite. 

And Trump on Sunday made a last-minute, surprise visit to his supporters outside Walter Reed Medical Center, briefing leaving his hospital room to thank the cheering loyalists.

The president was in an SUV and was driven by the screaming, applauding crowds. He waved to them from inside car and was wearing a face mask.

In the front passenger seat was a person wearing full personal protective gear, including a face shield. Secret Service agents were also in the car. The president went into the hospital Friday evening after testing positive for the coronavirus.

His family and staff have posted positive message about the president to Twitter. 

'Nothing can stop him from working for the American people. Relentless,' his daughter Ivanka wrote, adding a photo of the president working in the hospital. 

President Trump's positive COVID diagnosis upended the White House and left many of his staff shell-shocked. The White House had perpetuated an untouchable image when it to combating the virus, arguing their testing measures meant staff and president alike were protected from the disease that has infected more than 7 million Americans.

Meanwhile, a senior Republican questioned Meadows' approach to situation, saying it was 'being handled badly.'

'Anyone taking medical/psychological advice from the chief of staff or his communications team should have their head examined,' the senior Republican told DailyMail.com.

'It is being handled badly,' the person continued, 'whether the president is fit as a fiddle or on his deathbed.' 

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been sleeping at Walter Reed Medical Center, he accompanied President Trump to the hospital on Friday evening and is seen above watching the president exit Marine One upon their arrival

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been sleeping at Walter Reed Medical Center, he accompanied President Trump to the hospital on Friday evening and is seen above watching the president exit Marine One upon their arrival

The White House on Saturday released a photo of President Donald Trump working in Walter Reed

The White House on Saturday released a photo of President Donald Trump working in Walter Reed


Trump was furious at Meadows over the botched message, CNN reported, with concerns the chief of staff has undermined the credibility of the medical briefings.

Meadows, who has been sleeping at Walter Reed hospital, was seen at Conley's briefing on Sunday seated to one side, his head in his hands. 

He went on Fox News Saturday night to deliver a different message. President Trump is known to be a regular viewer of the cable news network.

'He's probably one of the hardest-working men that I've ever had the privilege of knowing,' he said of the president. 'I can say this, that the doctor is exactly right. He is doing extremely well. In fact, I'm very, very optimistic, based on the current results.' 

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