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Donald Trump’s first public speech since his return from the hospital after being diagnosed with the coronavirus saw no social distancing from attendees as the White House remains at the center of a Covid-19 outbreak.
While many who saw him wore masks, it is unclear whether Trump is still contagious, and questions remain about his health and the timing of his infection. The White House has refused to declare that it is no longer capable of infecting others.
Trump’s first in-person event since his positive test for the coronavirus just over a week ago was watched with anxiety by health experts: More than two dozen employees were also infected.
Addressing the crowd of 2,000 on Saturday from the balcony of the White House’s Blue Room overlooking the South Lawn, Trump appeared wearing a mask and removed it to speak.
Trump delivered a wide-ranging speech that addressed the removal of former President Barack Obama’s “Obamacare” health care reform law, criminal justice reform and the state of the economy.
“I feel great,” Trump told the enthusiastic crowd, before repeating his claim that the virus is disappearing, despite more than 50,000 new cases a day and 235,000 deaths projected by the end of this month.
Trump spoke for 18 minutes at the rally, which was billed as a “peaceful protest for law and order”; the audience had said that his speech would last half an hour.
Lafayette Square and surrounding streets were closed by police and the Secret Service for the rally, the president’s first public appearance since he was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday.
Many of the attendees came from an earlier event hosted by conservative activist Candace Owens’ group Blexit, whose goal is to encourage blacks and other minorities to leave the Democratic Party and register as Republicans.
Despite fears that the virus could still spread inside the mansion and presidential offices, Scott Atlas, Trump’s adviser on Covid-19, was seen next to the crowd without a mask.
As a radiologist and not a specialist in public health or infectious diseases, his appointment as an adviser to the president earlier in the summer drew criticism.
Dr. Atlas advocated for the reopening of schools and the Washington Post reported that he was in favor of a herd immunity strategy, something he later denied, despite speaking on the issue in a Fox News interview in July.
When the president tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the month, Dr. Atlas reappeared online, saying that it is no wonder people get the infection, even with precautions.
“I anticipate a full, complete and speedy recovery to normal after your necessary period of confinement. I anticipate that he will be back on the road and in full swing, “he said.
Despite the president encouraging those present to vote, in addition to criticizing Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris, the White House insisted that Saturday’s rally was not a campaign event.
Judd Deere, the White House deputy press secretary, told reporters that the event was not a campaign act when asked if it violated the Hatch Act.
He said attendees would have brought any campaign signs seen: “We are not delivering anything, but people can bring things to the complex.”
The speech comes two weeks after the Rose Garden event that was the celebration of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination as a possible Supreme Court Justice.
More than 30 people linked to the White House have tested positive for the virus since then.
On Monday, the president will return to the election campaign in Sanford, Florida, in what he described as a “GREAT RALLY.”
With reports from The Associated Press
