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The Situation Room
President Trump, First Lady Test Positive for Coronavirus; Trump's COVID Diagnosis Raising National Security Concerns; Biden Urges Mask-Wearing after Trump's COVID-19 Diagnosis; Marine One To Take President To Walter Reed Medical Center; V.P. Pence At His Residence At Naval Observatory; W.H.: There Will Not Be A Transfer Of Power. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired October 02, 2020 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: And by doing so with an economic message aimed at blue-collar voters. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Yes, and a nonpartisan one, in some ways, as well.
I will see you on Sunday morning on "STATE OF THE UNION."
Our coverage on CNN continues right now.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WOLF BLITZER: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We're following breaking news.
The most serious known medical threat to a sitting U.S. president in decades, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump both testing positive for the coronavirus. The White House physician just released new details about the president's current symptoms, which include fatigue and a fever. That according to a source.
We're also learning that the president is being treated with an experimental antibody cocktail as a precautionary measure. This is a big deal. The president's diagnosis is raising new concerns about a potential national security crisis and urgent, urgent questions right now over his health, the lack of transparency coming from the White House, the timeline of events that led to this moment, and the impact all of this could have on the presidential election now just one month away.
And there are also signs right now that the outbreak could stretch well beyond the president's inner circle. CNN has learned of additional cases at the White House. Multiple journalists and at least one staffer have been confirmed with coronavirus.
Let's get straight to the center of the crisis. Our chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta is joining us. Jim, we of course wish the president and the first lady, everybody a speedy recovery. But these late-breaking developments are very, very worrisome. JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It is very concerning, Wolf. And White House officials appear to be tweaking some of the language they're using to describe the president's condition with one top aide now saying Mr. Trump has a moderate case of the coronavirus. We are told the president has a fever, and the White House doctor says Mr. Trump is fatigued and has been fatigued all day long. The White House physician also says he was given a single dose of an antibody cocktail as a preventive treatment earlier today. His case was described as mild by White House officials. So, a change in his status from earlier in the day. Either way this could be the most serious situation a president has faced in terms of his health in decades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (voice-over): After months of misleading Americans about the dangers posed by the coronavirus, President Trump is now a COVID-19 patient himself, along with the first lady as the global pandemic has penetrated the White House grounds.
LARRY KUDLOW, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF ECONOMIC ADVISER: It is a very moderate case. The president was kind of barking out orders for all of us giving us tasks this morning to follow through. He's on the phone. So, I have not seen him. I last spoke to him last evening. I have not talked to him today, but apparently, he's doing just fine.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The president's illness forced him to cancel an appearance on a White House conference call on COVID-19's impact on senior citizens, prompting Vice President Mike Pence to fill in.
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Pleased to report President Trump and the first lady are both well at this time. They will remain at the White House while they convalesce.
ACOSTA (voice-over): In addition to the president and first lady, top aide Hope Hicks as well as another West Wing staffer have tested positive, as have multiple members of the White House press corps.
As administration officials do contact tracing to track the spread, there are some focus on last Satuday's event at the White House where the president announced his pick for the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett.
Utah GOP Senator Mike Lee and the president of Notre Dame who were attendants that they have also come back positive. Barrett who was previously diagnosed with the virus over the summer tested negative this week.
Over the last week, the president stayed busy taking part in his debate with Joe Biden. And holding a rally in Minnesota. Then on Thursday, Mr. Trump attended a fundraiser at his golf club in New Jersey.
White House officials say they discovered Hicks was positive just before boarding Marine One for the fundraiser. MARK MEADOWS, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: In terms of Hope Hicks, we discovered that right as the Marine One was taking off yesterday, we actually pulled some of the people that had been traveling and in close contact.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The press secretary defended Mr. Trump's decision to continue on with the trip to New Jersey.
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It was deemed safe for the president to go. He socially distanced. White House operations made the assessment it was safe for the president in consultation with others.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Even after the president's sudden illness, top officials weren't wearing masks around the White House including controversial Dr. Scott Atlas and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows who's tested negative.
(on camera): Why aren't you wearing a mask right now?
MEADOWS: Yes. So, I've obviously been tested even with a lot of the mitigating factors, Jim. What you have is a virus that is contagious that certainly continues to be regardless of whatever protocol we have that he has the ability to affect everybody.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Members of the president's debate prep team weren't wearing masks either.
[17:05:03]
CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: No. No one was wearing masks in the room when we were prepping the president during that period of time. And we were -- the group was about five or six people in total.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The president has spent months brushing off concerns about the virus telling reporters he wasn't concerned about catching it.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm more concerned about how close you are.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sorry about that.
TRUMP: Because you know why? I'm on the stage and it's very far away. And so, I'm not at all concerned.
ACOSTA (voice-over): And that the virus would miraculously vanish.
TRUMP: It looks like by April you know in theory when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away. I hope that's true.
ACOSTA (voice-over): And there were the strange antiviral remedies. TRUMP: And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute and is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning?
ACOSTA (voice-over): Including his experimenting with taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure.
TRUMP: I'm taking it, hydroxychloroquine.
QUESTION: When?
TRUMP: Right now, yes. A couple of weeks ago I started taking it because I think it's good. I've heard a lot of good stories.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The White House won't confirm that he's using that unproven medication now.
MEADOWS: Well, I'm not going to get into any particular treatment that he may or may not have. He's in the residence now. And in true fashion he's probably critiquing the way that I'm answering these questions.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And the president's illness has blown a hole into his campaign schedule. They are now in the process of either canceling Mr. Trump's upcoming rallies or shifting to online events. No word whether the president and Joe Biden will meet as scheduled at their next debate in less than two weeks.
An administration official say Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the virus and that he is in good health. That is an indication that he'll participate in his debate with Kamala Harris next week.
But, Wolf, I have to tell you, it is mind-boggling, mind-boggling that throughout the day we have seen White House officials not wearing their masks even after the president came down with the coronavirus. Wolf?
BLITZER: Mind-boggling it is. All right, Jim Acosta we're going to get back to you. I know there are late breaking developments over there. Stand by.
I want to bring in CNN's MJ Lee right now for the latest developments out of the Biden campaign. MJ, the former vice president, he's where you are in Michigan for this campaign event after both, he and his wife, fortunately tested negative for the virus this morning. What else - what else are they saying these are very, very dramatic moments?
MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are, Wolf. And we just saw Joe Biden speak in Michigan. This was a trip that was actually delayed by several hours this morning as he waited for that negative COVID test. And he actually just said he took two tests and they both came back negative. This was a speech that was initially slated to be about the economy. But right off the top we heard Joe Biden talk about Trump's condition and also issue a warning for the country. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: My wife Jill and I pray that they will make a quick and full recovery. This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously.
We can save 100,000 lives in the next 100 days according to the head of the CDC if everyone wears a mask in public. So be patriotic. It's not about being a tough guy. It's about doing your part. Wearing a mask is not only going to protect you, but it also protects those around you, your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, husband, wife, neighbor, co-worker. Don't just do it for yourself. Do it for the people you love, the people you work with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEE: And this comes three days after Biden shared a debate stage with the president, and, yes, their two podiums as you recall were socially distanced. They were well over six feet apart. They were actually 12 feet apart, we are told.
But, keep in mind, they were indoors. This was a debate that had an audience. And some audience members as we saw that night were not wearing masks including some members of Donald Trump's family. So clearly the Biden campaign determined that there was a concern for exposure. And so, that's why they took the measure of making sure that he was tested twice this morning. And again, they both came back negative. Wolf?
BLITZER: The president is 74 years old. The former vice president is 77 years old. MJ, the way these two candidates have behaved while campaigning during this pandemic couldn't be more different, right?
LEE: You really cannot emphasize that enough. You know the president, as we have talked about a lot, he has consistently understated the seriousness of the virus when he is out on the campaign trail with his own conduct. He does not sort of follow the guidelines that have come out from doctors and public health officials. You know we rarely see him wearing a mask. We often see him not socially distanced. And we also have seen him hold these campaign rallies sometimes indoors.
Whereas for the Biden campaign, they have very much strictly adhered to these kinds of rules when you go to a Biden event as a reporter, you are often sitting in a chair that is marked by a big circle around you.
[17:10:08]
That is to make sure the campaign working to make sure that even the reporters are socially distanced. And of course, we saw Biden just today. His entire speech was given with him wearing a mask. And I have to tell you, Wolf, one moment from this week's debate that I've been thinking about a lot is the president mocking Joe Biden on stage for frequently wearing a mask. It is very difficult now to not think about those comments in a different light. Wolf?
BLITZER: All right, MJ, stand by. We're going to getting back to you.
I want to bring in our analysts and our experts to assess what's going on. And Dr. Sanjay Gupta of course is with us. We're getting these new details about the president's symptoms and treatments. We saw this memo that the president's personal physician, Dr. Sean Conley, sent out. This was all public, saying that he is fatigued, does have fever, and he is taking this experimental treatment, hasn't even been approved yet even for emergency use authorization. Tell us about that and what does that say to you?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, I think if you're starting to put all this together, and I've been you know hearing these reports from early, early this morning. First, we heard he was doing well. That was the first thing, really kind of trying to tamp down any concerns. Then it was the language sort of changed saying he's having mild symptoms. As you point out, you're now hearing that he's had a fever really since the morning feeling fatigued. Someone even described it, Jim Acosta, said someone described it to him as moderate symptoms.
And then on top of that, as you point out, Wolf, this Regeneron experimental therapy which is in very early trials still. 275 patients in that trial, it's very early experimental therapy. He got the highest dose of that, probably under a compassionate use order as well.
So, Wolf, there's a concern here. He is 74 years old. He has vulnerabilities because of preexisting conditions. He's symptomatic. If he's having any trouble at all. If he's starting to develop any trouble at all with breathing or chest pain or becoming worse in terms of fatigue or confusion or anything, I think the decision that the White House medical team is going to have to be is where should the president be for his care?
The White House medical unit's pretty extensive, as you well know, Wolf. But they're not an intensive care unit. They don't have the advanced imaging. There's many things they lack. So, I think that's - I think they're telegraphing to us Wolf, at this point, that there is a heightened level of concern that has been increasing throughout the day here.
BLITZER: Yes. If you read between the lines in this memo that the president's personal White House physician released, they go through -- he goes through in addition to the polyclonal antibodies, this Regeneron antibody cocktail that has now -- is now out there, even though it hasn't been formally approved. The president is taking some other vitamin Zinc, vitamin D, melatonin, daily aspirin. He's not taking some other treatments potentially out there. What does that say to you? Why did he pick this one or at least his physicians picked this Regeneron polyclonal antibody cocktail?
GUPTA: Well, you know what, we're - we're -- we have to speculate at this point because they're not telling us much in terms of what the precise symptoms or the precise reasons why they are choosing something like this. The only other two things really out there would be remdesivir medication and then steroids known as dexamethasone. That's really more for people who are you know severely or critically ill, the steroids.
Remdesivir is often times given to people who are starting to have difficulties with their blood oxygenation. Again, these are all very early therapies. The monoclonal antibody doesn't even have emergency use authorization. But what we know, Wolf, and we had a conversation with the founder last week, you remember, can be given to people earlier in the course of disease. What it's basically doing is giving someone antibodies.
When you're exposed to a virus like this, eventually the body will make antibodies and help fight it. But if that's not happening quickly enough or there is some concern because of someone's preexisting conditions or their vulnerabilities, you may try and provide the antibodies earlier in the course of illness. That's what he's received. We know he received the highest dose of this particular medication. It's, again, very experimental in that there's only really data that's out there. We haven't even seen that data on 275 patients, Wolf.
So, if you're doing that, you're making that decision, you're applying this for under compassionate use. What that says to me is that there's concern. And I think the next decision tree is where does the president need to be to make sure he's getting the optimal care and management of this disease?
BLITZER: You know that's very significant in this memo.
Let's bring in Dr. Leana Wen. She is also an expert in this area. They said - the doctor -- the president's White House physician says he completed the infusion without incident receiving, as Sanjay says, a single eight-gram dose of this Regeneron antibody cocktail.
[17:15:10]
Dr. Wen, what does that say to you?
DR. LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, it sounds like he received this treatment and did not have any of the side effects that one -- that it's possible to have with this treatment. But I agree with Sanjay. I would want to know a bit more about how the president is doing. We don't have, for example, as far as I know, his vital signs. We don't know how his oxygenation is doing. They say that he has a fever. But what is the temperature?
And I'm actually quite concerned about the fact that the president has a fever. Because fever is a relatively later sign. It's not something that you see at the very beginning of an illness typically. And so, it raises the question of how long he could have had coronavirus and how long he could possibly have been infecting other people.
BLITZER: Dr. Wen, I want to go back to Sanjay. Sanjay, we're getting some major, major very disturbing breaking news right now. The White House press pool is now informing all of the major news organizations that the president will be heading over to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment, will be leaving the White House to head over there for treatment. Clearly, at least from my analysis and I'm not a doctor like you are, that would suggest this is a much more serious case of coronavirus than if he simply could've stayed at the White House residence and dealt with it there.
GUPTA: Yes, Wolf. I mean this is a big development. And you know I think that they've been sort of in some ways telegraphing this, being very opaque about it. But there is now obviously an increased level of worry about the president, his health as Leana was just saying, I don't know what specifically is triggering this. If we know the sorts of things that typically require hospitalization, someone's having difficulty breathing, if they're having any kind of chest pain, if their symptoms are just you know progressively worsening. Those are all concerns.
But, Wolf, you know I got to tell you, I just -I've been reporting on this since 1:00 this morning. I think that this is an important call and it's the right call. I think that you know having the president and frankly any patient of his age with his vulnerabilities and now with these progressive symptoms being in the hospital if possible is the right thing to do here. And it sounds like that's what they're going to do.
I imagine they're going to fly him over there. They have capabilities at Walter Reed that they simply don't have at the White House medical unit. The White House medical unit's intensive but they don't have intensive care capabilities. They don't have advanced imaging capabilities.
So, this is -- it's unsettling obviously to think that the president is now likely going to be rapidly transported to the hospital. But this is what's necessary, clearly. And I think it is sort of been building to this over the last few hours. Wolf?
BLITZER: And as you know, Sanjay, and as I know, I've been there, there's a presidential suite at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that's just outside Washington in Bethesda, Maryland. We are now told by a spokesperson over at the White House that the president will be working from offices there at Walter Reed over the next few days.
Our Jeremy Diamond is already over at Walter Reed for us. Jeremy, tell us what you're hearing over there. What are you seeing? I suspect fairly soon we'll probably see the president heading over aboard Marine One taking off from the south lawn of the White House making a very brief flight over to Walter Reed in Bethesda.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. And this is a major development here. Listen, we have launched the evolution of this from last night early this morning when we learned that the president had indeed tested positive for coronavirus.
This morning, the White House and the White House doctor initially describing this as a very mild case of coronavirus saying that he was having moderate symptoms. We even heard the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows say that the president was very enthusiastic and had high energy levels. And then came this letter from the White House physician Dr. Sean Conley this afternoon saying that the president had been fatigued.
So, clearly, the situation has been changing the White House's description of the president's condition has also been changing. And now we are learning that the president is about to arrive at any moment now here at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to be treated not just for coming here for tests for a matter of hours but that he is expected to stay here for several days.
I want to read to you, Wolf, the statement that we have from the White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. These are her words. She says, President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms and has been working throughout the day out of an abundance of caution and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts. The president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days. President Trump appreciates the outpouring of support for both he and the first lady.
And that is what you are referencing, Wolf, the fact that the president does have a presidential suite here at Walter Reed, that he is able to stay here for several days.
[17:20:00]
But nonetheless, Wolf, this is the president of the United States, somebody who is 74 years old, is in a high-risk category. Being admitted to the hospital for coronavirus. That is effectively what is happening here. The White House can describe this as the president working out of offices at Walter Reed. But ultimately, he is being admitted to the hospital, Wolf, with coronavirus. This is a very concerning situation. Wolf?
BLITZER: Very concerning indeed. And - you know, Dr. Wen, they wouldn't be -- we know the president, we know that he doesn't want to advertise that he has any medical conditions at all. For him to have agreed now to go over to Walter Reed and spend the next few days there, this is a serious development and underscores the problems he's facing as a result of being diagnosed with coronavirus.
WEN: That's right. We do know that most people who have coronavirus end up recovering. Some patients may never get any symptoms at all. Some people, most people end up having mild symptoms. But for some individuals, and we don't know exactly why, but some individuals do end up having more severe symptoms. And one of the symptoms that we're the most concerned about is shortness of breath because then you may not be getting enough oxygen. We know that for patients with coronavirus. Their oxygen levels could get very low. At some point they may need support to help them breathe.
I'm not saying that is what's going on with the president, but that is something we anticipate happening for some of the patients who end up not doing very well. And we also have to remember that the median time between when somebody first starts developing symptoms to when they may need intensive care is 10 to 12 days. And often what we see in patients is that they seem to do well for about a week or so and then their clinical course can still deteriorate after that. And so, this careful monitoring that the president is having right now. I'm sure he'll get exceptional care at Walter Reed. That careful monitoring is going to be so critical in guiding what happens next.
BLITZER: And, Sanjay, just tell us what the doctors can do at Walter Reed that they can't necessarily do at the White House. Because we know there are pretty sophisticated medical equipment and treatments at the White House as well.
GUPTA: Yes. Wolf, I think there's a couple things. One is there's more sort of advanced imaging if he were to need any kind of imaging that they can do at the White House, CT scans, things like that. I think the larger issue at this point is that if you remember with Boris Johnson, for example, Wolf, as Leana said, you know it's five or six days after he was diagnosed he was doing OK. But then he needed to go to the hospital and ended up spending three days --
BLITZER: Sanjay, hold on for one moment. I just want to point out what's going on. We have a shot of Marine One, the president's helicopter landing on the south lawn of the White House right now. You can see it go down. At some point, the president, we assume will walk out, board Marine One, and Marine One will make that very brief flight over to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.\
All right. Stand by. Sanjay, continue -- continue your explanation. I just wanted to point out why we were showing Marine One landing on the south lawn.
GUPTA: We'll keep an eye on that. You know I think that it's part of this is mainly making sure that should the president need more advanced care, intensive unit care, for example, he will be in the hospital at that point you know to rapidly transporting someone to the intensive care unit from home is obviously a more difficult proposition at that point. So, having him in the hospital, being monitored there, he will probably receive high-flow oxygen. And basically, have that proximity to more intensive care should he need it. I think that's probably what's happening.
Also, these therapies, Wolf, you know even the monoclonal antibodies, they can be administered in an outpatient setting. But if there's other types of medications that he may be getting, sometimes you want to give those in a hospital where someone can be monitored when they're receiving these types of therapies. So, they say this is an abundance of caution, which maybe it is.
But there's obviously a level of concern here in having them in the hospital with all the various specialists there who can quickly address whatever symptoms and problems he may be developing I think is the key. Again, I think this is unsettling, Wolf, to see the president of the United States being rapidly transported to a hospital for coronavirus. But it's the right call as well. Because you need to get ahead of this. You can't wait too long if someone starts to have troubles at home, can't get to the hospital, that's obviously a much bigger problem, Wolf. BLITZER: You see the White House photographer there standing in front of Marine One getting ready to take some pictures I assume of the president walking out on the south lawn and boarding Marine One on that brief helicopter ride over to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.
Jeremy Diamond is over there on the scene for us over at the hospital. What else are you learning, Jeremy?
DIAMOND: Wolf, that is it at this point. We've seen Marine One landing on the south lawn as you said, which means that the president will be wheels up shortly for Walter Reed.
[17:25:04]
But, again, I think it is important to underscore just how significant this development is and what it must've taken, frankly, for President Trump to agree to be in the hospital for several days. I mean this is the optics president. Right, Wolf? This is the president who thinks about everything through the lens of how it is going to be perceived in the media.
And so, obviously he must've been aware that being admitted to the hospital for several days, that that was going to be a development that was going to be concerning, that it could potentially move markets, which is also perhaps, Wolf, why we are seeing this happen after market hours. And that this is ultimately something that is going to play into the minds of voters a month out from Election Day, Wolf, raising significant questions, of course, about the president's health.
But I think as Sanjay pointed out, you know we know that the earlier you catch this disease and the earlier you start aggressive treatments of it, the better the prognosis ultimately will be. And also, notable, Wolf, is the fact that this president is sticking with, you know, this experimental treatment that is showing very promising results, this antibody cocktail. He's going with what. He's going with the doctors are recommending in this case.
He is not going with hydroxychloroquine, which has been proven to be ineffective against the coronavirus in which the president of course touted for months on end, and even took at one point as a prophylaxis or an attempt at a prophylaxis. Recent studies of course, Wolf, have shown that it is not only ineffective at treating coronavirus but it's also ineffective as a prophylaxis in the way the president took it.
And so, here we are, Wolf, months into this pandemic the president is now going with what the doctors are saying now that it has affected him directly, of course. But the question is, Wolf, what about the millions of Americans who have heard the president for months talking about hydroxychloroquine, downplaying the use of masks. Perhaps the president's tune is also going to change now that we are seeing him actually change the decision making that he is making, now that he has been affected by this disease, Wolf?
BLITZER: All right, we're going to have you stand by. We're at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Jeremy.
Dana Bash is watching all of this unfold. There is a lot of history that's happening right now, Dana. Set the scene for us as far as the historical significance of a president right now who's obviously facing a serious problem, coronavirus and what's going on.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. I mean this has not happened in my adult lifetime. We are seeing the president of the United States in such poor health that he has to go to the hospital. Obviously, he has a deadly virus, a virus that has killed 200,000 plus of the citizens that he governs.
And now it has hit him. And you know we certainly have seen and heard presidents that you have covered, that I have covered, who have had minor health issues. This is major. This is very, very serious for all the reasons that Sanjay and Dr. Wen were talking about. The signs that we are seeing from the doctors, note - going out, explaining the experimental treatment that he is getting and obviously, the fact that he is now going to Walter Reed, which is an important step.
The other thing is that we haven't seen the president since the White House told us at 1:00 this morning that he tested positive for coronavirus. And the iconic photo on the lawn of the White House that we're looking at right now for presidents since there were helicopters has been the president walking to Marine One and waving.
What are we going to see? Are we going to see the president walk? Is this the reason that he is going to Walter Reed by helicopter? So, he is the showman, as Jeremy was saying. He is the optics president. Is he going to make sure that Americans see him? We don't know. And that's what I'm going to be watching for in addition to the obvious to listen to the medical experts about what this means for the health of the president of the United States.
BLITZER: And Kaitlan Collins is with us as well, our White House correspondent. Kaitlan, we got this little memo from the White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley. But there really aren't a whole lot of specifics there. And we do know that the president, he's been silent at least so far today. He isn't even tweeting, Kaitlan.
16 hours ago, was his last tweet when he posted "Tonight, FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this together."
Since then, more than 16 hours haven't heard from him, haven't seen him. And certainly, it's significant that he's not even tweeting, Kaitlan.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. It is very uncharacteristic for the president to not be tweeting or anything. And of course, now we're waiting for him to come up to Marine One. It's been almost exactly 24 hours since we've seen the president.
[17:30:00]
But what we really have got to talk about here is the fact that we have not heard from the president's doctor in a briefing, in a session where he can actually take questions from reporters yet they are taking the President to the hospital for the next several days, without giving the reporters any more information than that. We have just gotten those two memos from Dr. Sean Conley, that's the President's physician.
And then we got this statement from Kayleigh McEnany, informing us that he's actually going to be spending several days there. It's not just going to be a quick trip like you've seen him take in the past. And, Wolf, this has got to be a time when the White House has to be transparent about what exactly it is that's going on with the President's health because all day long, you have heard political aides insist that the President only had mild symptoms, that it was a moderate case is what Larry Kudlow called it.
And then thorough reporting on our own, we actually found out that the President had a fever, he had these other developments that he was not feeling well, either. So, these are big questions that we still want to know the answers to. And yet the President is being taken to the hospital in just a few moments. And we have not heard from the White House physician yet and had a chance to ask him questions about the health of the President.
And it is critical that the White House allows us to do that because, of course, the American people need to know about the President's health. And this has been a White House that has shielded details about the President's visits to Walter Reed in the past, as they did last November, when they claimed that he was getting a physical and we never still, to this day, found out the real reason the President was there. So, it is critical that the White House doctor does come out and give a briefing. But, right now, there are not any on the horizon that we know of, Wolf.
BLITZER: What don't we know Kaitlan about the Vice President Mike Pence? His -- where is he right now, his whereabouts? Because all of this is significant, f the President's heading to the hospital?
COLLINS: That's a question we've been trying to find out since we found out the President was going to Walter Reed a few moments ago. We have not heard back from the Vice President's office, though earlier, they did say that he had tested positive once again for coronavirus. It was something they tested him for again today after the development overnight with Hope Hicks and with the President.
And, of course, this is critical because what is the Vice President's role going to be while the President is in the hospital, because they're saying that he's going to be working out of a suite. You know, Wolf, he's still in the hospital. Even if he is working while he's there, hw is still being taken admitted to a hospital. So that is notable.
And, remember, there was a book recently that was published talking about when the President went to Walter Reed in 2019. And it said that the Vice President's office was told he needed to be on standby. That is something that the Vice President did not deny at the time. So we're waiting to see if this is another one of those situations where the Vice President was once again told that he needs to be on standby and how that affects his schedule. Because right now, he is scheduled to leave, I believe, Sunday, maybe Monday to go to Salt Lake City for a week of travel.
So, whether or not that changes based on the President leaving on a Friday afternoon. You have to think he's going to be there more than just through Saturday. And so, we'll have a lot of details, Wolf, that we are still trying to figure out.
BLITZER: Yes. He is supposed to have, as you say the debate with the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris next week as well. We'll see what happens. He did say -- his doctors did say he tested negative, the Vice President today, when he was tested for coronavirus.
I will point out that the -- in this brief statement that was put up by the President's physician, in contrast to the President, Dr. Conley said First Lady Melania Trump remains well, with only a mild cough and headache. And the remainder of the First's family are well and tested negative for coronavirus.
I want to bring in the President's former National Security Adviser John Bolton right now who's watching all of this together with all of us. Ambassador Bolton, thank you so much for joining us. What's your reaction to what we're seeing unfold right now?
JOHN BOLTON, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I have to say, you know, listening it with you to this, that it's unsettling that the President can't stay at the residence. I would say on the other side, this is not just any patient. This is the President. There's zero tolerance for risk here. I'm sure it's the prudent thing to do to go to Walter Reed. But, nonetheless, this is not what the White House wants to see. There's no doubt about that.
BLITZER: Who would be notified? Would allies of the United States under normal circumstances be notified that the President of United States is heading over to the hospital?
BOLTON: No, I don't think there would be any special need to notify the allies. There have been public statements from the White House. I'm sure that people are in consultation all the time. And it's not at a stage yet when that's required. But I do think the White House, the Defense Department, the State Department should have procedures in place here.
This is obviously going to be somewhat more difficult to carry on business. The President won't be just a few 100 feet away at the residence. But there's no reason business can't go on, at least as far as we know.
BLITZER: Take us inside the National Security Council right now and you were the President's National Security Adviser worked with him on a day-to-day basis, take us inside what they're seeing, because presumably some U.S. adversaries might see this as an opportunity to take advantage and do some things the U.S. doesn't necessarily want them to do. [17:35:22]
BOLTON: Right. I would say, right at the moment, this is an all hands on deck situation in terms of making sure that we're completely up to date on events around the world, even in conflicts that may not seem important in the United States, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the potential for those conflicts to escalate or as you ask, for adversaries of the United States to try and take advantage, not just the lack of attention that sometimes happen in a -- happens in a presidential campaign, but because of the coronavirus, complication, to make sure that we're fully aware of what's going on and able to react in real time.
This is not a time for anybody to be on leave. That's complicated, of course, because we don't know what the testing status of people in the Executive Office of the President is. Most of the NSC staff is in the old Executive Office Building across West Executive Avenue, but they're in the West Wing all the time on a normal basis. So, this could complicate things from that perspective.
BLITZER: We do know, Ambassador Bolton -- we just learned, in fact, that the Vice President Mike Pence, is over at his official Vice President's residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, not too far away from the White House here in Washington, D.C. What's going through the Vice President's mind right now, as he watches all of this unfold, from a national security perspective?
BOLTON: Well, I think his sense would certainly be heightened. I think the Vice President knows exactly what the stakes are here. And I think it makes sense to have him at his residence rather than in the White House at this point, whether there are protocols involving disinfection of the West Wing or not, I don't know. But until it's completely safe to bring him into the West Wing, I think being at the residence makes sense.
And I think, you know, vice presidents are quite properly very reluctant to make it look like they're assuming any functions. We recall how awkward it was when President Reagan was shot and Secretary of State Haig went to the White House and said, I'm in charge here and so on, which was even more egregious than the vice president. So, I think he's got to be very careful.
But I think Vice President Pence is a prudent man, he is going to be thinking through what might happen in the next days, depending on the President's condition, and I think that's the right thing to do.
BLITZER: Yes. We -- those of us old enough, you and me, we remember 1981 when the then-President of United States, President Reagan, was shot at the Washington Hilton Hotel, and he recovered, he was taken to George Washington University Hospital. He was in pretty -- you remember at the time, Ambassador Bolton, he was in very serious shape, but he did survive, fortunately came through. And all of us are hoping clearly for the best for President Trump and the First Lady. In fact, everyone who's suffering from coronavirus right now.
Ambassador Bolton, thank you so much for joining us. We'll continue this conversation.
I want to bring in our Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel who's watching all of these unfold right now. Jamie, this is a, obviously, a disturbing development. The President about to board, you see the live picture coming in from the South Lawn of the White House, Marine One. It's not every day, we see a president a boarding Marine One. And he'll be boarding fairly soon, we're told, and then making that brief flight over to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda just outside Washington.
What what's going through your mind as you've watched this history unfold over the years as well?
JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. I also remember and was working when President Reagan was shot. And that was, you know, a very scary time. I just spoke to two senior Republican officials. They do not know what the situation is with the President's health right now. But they probably did out two things. One is if the President is feeling well enough to walk to Marine One, and we see those pictures, those will be important optics.
We are not getting much information from the White House. So, it may very well be that the President and -- wants us to see that picture of him. That said, Wolf, we all know -- we heard Sanjay say this earlier and Dr. Wen, the fact that they are moving him to Walter Reed makes complete sense. It is the safe thing to do. But because of his age, because of this report of a fever now, it is probably out of an abundance of caution, but also because they're very concerned.
[17:40:14]
I will tell you, I had a family member who had coronavirus and did not get a fever for the first three days, and actually, over the weeks, got much sicker days 11, 12, 13, it's just anecdotal. But that has been a pattern we have seen, where as time goes by, if someone is going to get much sicker, it can be down the road. So it's, again, very wise for someone his age to -- and, look, we have to worry about national security, the continuity of government to make sure that he is in a place where if suddenly, you know, he isn't doing well, they can take care of him, Wolf.
BLITZER: Jamie, standby. I want to bring back Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who's watching all of this unfold. Sanjay, you know the procedures very well. I assume we'll get a shot of the President leaving the residents over there at the White House walking towards Marine One, that would be significant in and of itself, as Jamie points out, right?
GUPTA: Yes, it would be.
BLITZER: Sanjay -- I'm not hearing Sanjay.
GUPTA: It doesn't change the -- Wolf, can you hear me?
BLITZER: Yes, start again. Start again. I didn't hear the beginning.
GUPTA: -- change the fact that there is a -- Wolf, yes, I think it would be certainly significant that the President would be walking out and I fully expect that. I mean, they described him as having, you know, mild or moderate symptoms. But, Wolf, I -- it doesn't diminish the fact that the, you know, the President is essentially being, you know, rapidly transported the hospital for this COVID disease. That is happening, and that reflects a level of concern here, Wolf. And it's something, you know, I've been reporting on this since 1:00 in the morning, it's been a steadily building sort of level of concern, talking to people at the White House, hearing how they're characterizing things.
So, I think Jamie is absolutely right, it would be important to see the President walking out, but, you know, we are seeing something that's truly, you know, it's something that is a bit unsettling, I think, very necessary. I think it's the right call, from a medical perspective to have the President at a place like Walter Reed, where -- as good as the White House medical unit is. There's significantly more resources at the Walter Reed.
But this is not a decision that I think is taken lightly, you know, to transport the President like this, does signify that there was a significant level of concern, Wolf. I know I've said that many times. But, we have to sort of speculate a bit on what it was specifically because, you know, the White House doctor hasn't spoken to reporters, I mean, at this point, the President of United States about -- is about to essentially be medevac to a hospital, and we don't still have very many details at all about what's going on here.
So, they really need to explain this, Wolf. The optics of him walking out, sure. But there's a lot of other stuff that is still unclear right now, Wolf.
BLITZER: And remind our viewers, Sanjay, why the President of the United States is now considered to be at higher risk of serious potentially and hopefully not, but at higher risk of serious complications from coronavirus than someone much younger.
GUPTA: Right, Wolf. I mean, you know, almost since the beginning, when we started seeing some of the early data about this novel disease, now, going back several months, it was clear that there were certain people who were going to be at higher risk because of age. So we know, for example, the President 65 to 74 year olds, he's 74, are five times more likely to be hospitalized, because of obesity. He's three times more likely to be hospitalized.
But, you know, it can vary. I mean, there's people who have these sort of pre-existing conditions and really never develop much in the way of symptoms, and there are people who have no pre-existing conditions and are younger, and get very sick. So these are just general sort of trends that we see.
You know, one of the things about the President as you know, Wolf, he did receive this experimental therapy at the White House, monoclonal antibody therapy, which again, was a, I think, telegraphing some level of concern to give the President under compassionate use the highest dose of this antibody therapy. You know, if you do that I think if -- there's some sort of level of concern. Wolf, I do want to remind people that as, again, unsettling as this is, statistically, you know, the President still very much has the odds on his side. When you put all those risk factors together that I talked about, still greater than a 90 percent chance that he will, you know, get through this. But he needs, obviously, to get the kind of care that they're probably going to provide for him at Walter Reed.
BLITZER: Yes. He certainly does, you know.
[17:45:01]
And as we wait, I just want to point out -- and Dana, I want to bring you into this conversation -- there is we're now told, a pool of network correspondents and photographers standing outside on the South Lawn of the White House, and we can't see them and near the door over there. The President, presumably, at some point, we'll be walking out. It'll be interesting, Dana, if the President stops and answers reporters' questions or if he's simply going to go ahead and walk up to Marine One board, that helicopter and make that very brief flight to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.
But Dana, you know, it's not going to be the first time he was over at Walter Reed, is it?
BASH: No. And really, that is, what is one of the many things just in covering Donald Trump and knowing the way that he approaches such things that is most fascinating. In fact, I was just texting with somebody who does not have any indication of his current condition. I want to make this clear, but somebody who knows the President has had conversations about such things, and said, you know, the fact that this President who is all about optics and all about strength, and all about shunning anything that even remotely looks like weakness, would not allow this unless he had to.
And so that I think is very telling as to what we are seeing right now, what we could see. And that is why, like I said before and, you know, Jamie, obviously is hearing this from her sources as well, you know, one of the key questions that everybody is looking towards right now, is that lawn, and whether or not we are going to see the President.
Again, knowing him and covering him, you know, probably every fiber of his being wants to walk across that line and waive and say -- and show the world that he's OK. You know, hopefully, he will be able to do that. So, we'll see.
I just want to make one other point, Wolf, if I may?
BLITZER: Yes.
BASH: We're looking at, you know, the South Lawn of the White House. And it was in August, that very spot that Donald Trump accepted the nomination of his party for the second time, and it was with great fanfare and there was a -- there were a lot of people on that lawn, and not a lot of people were wearing masks. And here we are, you know, not even six weeks later, maybe five weeks later, a very, very different scene on that very same lawn.
BLITZER: Very different indeed. Kaitlan Collins is watching all of this unfold, our White House Correspondent. Kaitlan, people will start asking questions once the President arrives at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Does he transfer his power to the Vice President that he remained in charge? What are you hearing?
COLLINS: We are told, Wolf, that that is not the plan that that has not happened and officials do not expect that to happen as the President is spending the next several days at Walter Reed. Right now, we are told that the Vice President is at his home at the Naval Observatory. But we are told by the White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah that there is not going to be a transfer of power. She says that President Trump is still very much in charge.
So that is the status of things right now, Wolf. But, of course, the question is what happens over the next few days? What happens with the President's condition as Sanjay was noting? Because, of course, if they are sending the President to Walter Reed, not just for a brief afternoon visit, or even just overnight for the next several days, that reflects a different level of concern than what we've been hearing publicly from the chief of staff, and from the press secretary, and from the President's economic adviser today, who all seemed to talk about mild symptoms, great spirits.
This seems a little bit more concerning to that internally in the White House, as we were seeing Marine One sit on the South Lawn for close to, I believe, over 20 minutes now, as we are waiting on the President to come out. And, of course, those images of what happens when he does come out will tell a story since we haven't seen him. But it is notable that it does seem to be more of a concerning situation to the White House than they initially led us to believe.
And you've got to remember, Wolf, that all of this that we're learning is all mainly coming from reporters and then being confirmed by the White House. Because you have to wonder if Bloomberg had not first reported last night that Hope Hicks had tested positive, where would all of this had gone? And would the President have been tested that evening? Or would it not have happened until later on today?
There are so many what ifs about this, Wolf, and you've got to notice most of the information that we're getting is coming from reporters who were on the ground at the White House learning about the situation. So we'll have to wait to see what happens once he is actually at Walter Reed Hospital.
BLITZER: Very interesting indeed. And Kaitlan, there is a pool of reporters and photo journalists waiting outside on the lawn of the South -- on the South Lawn at the White House waiting for the President to emerge and at least shout some questions if he doesn't want to stop and answer questions. Is that right?
COLLINS: That's right. You can't see them because they're just over Marine One standing there beneath the Truman balcony. There are several reporters and cameras and photographers waiting. [17:50:01]
And what will be interesting, Wolf, is whether or not the President speaks. Of course, this is what they call chopper talk. He loves to talk to reporters as he's leaving the Oval Office. But notably, yesterday, he did not speak to reporters. And, of course, there are some days when he chooses not to.
But you have to wonder if the diagnosis of one of his top aides and closest confidant played a role in that with the President yesterday declined to speak to reporters when he landed back from that fundraiser that we should note they went to anyway, the fundraiser that was partially endorsed, partially outdoors and yet the President went after, a, to learn that Hicks had tested positive, which of course, so many people are questioning the judgement of that now that the President has his own positive diagnosis.
And so, the President did not speak yesterday, Wolf. We'll wait to have to see if he does it as he's leaving today, because it could be our last opportunity to question the President, if he's going to be spending the next few days inside the hospital where, of course, we won't have as much access.
BLITZER: I'll be anxious to see. Once we do see the President emerge from the residence over there on the South Lawn of the White House, whether he's wearing a mask, not wearing a mask, and all of that will be significant.
Standby, Kaitlan, Gloria Borger is watching all of this unfold. Gloria, we've covered a lot of major historic events.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes.
BLITZER: This is clearly history unfolding right here in the nation's Capitol.
BORGER: Right before our very eyes. And I just keep thinking about not only the President's condition, and of course, we all wish him well. But Kayleigh McEnany statement which said that the President will be working from Walter Reed, there has been no transfer of power. Mike Pence, as we were just told is at the Naval Observatory. The President is still the President here. And she said he will be working from there.
So, what does that tell us about his physical condition? My question is, why haven't we had any real briefings about the health of our President? We have had a statement from his doctor who as we know, is an osteopath. He has told us what drugs the President is on as Sanjay was talking about before, but I do think that this is a moment. If ever there were one for the President's medical team to come out and brief the American people about the President's condition. We do not know.
Anything beyond the tidbits we are getting from his doctor there, from Kaleigh McEnany, from someone like Larry Kudlow, who spoke to him and said he's in great spirits. And now suddenly, we see Marine One there on the lawn ready to take him to Walter Reed. So, I think we need to know more about the President's condition.
Maybe, as Kaitlan was saying, he will tell us himself, maybe he'll come out and speak a little bit. Maybe he is not in any shape to do that. But I don't think we ought to be reading the tea leaves here, Wolf. I think we need to know the facts. And I think we no need to know what exactly the situation is. And I don't think we're getting that information in the very least.
BLITZER: And we're not getting it, at least not now, Gloria, and hopefully, there will be a full briefing with the President's physicians on his condition and everything else.
I want to bring in Dr. Tom Frieden, the former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Frieden, thank you so much for joining us once again on this historic day. And like all of us, I'm sure you wish the President only the best, the speedy recovery.
The only thing we learned in this statement from the President's doctor, Dr. Shaun Conley, is that the President remains fatigue, but in good spirits. He does have a fever. When you see all of this unfold, Dr. Frieden, what do you think?
DR. TOM FRIEDEN, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR: You know, it's really a day-by- day issue. If people get more sick from COVID, it happens over three to 10 days, so it's going to be a while. The treatment that was given is unproven, but promising, particularly early in disease, a cocktail of antibodies made in the laboratory.
As has been noted, the overall risk of a fatal outcome of -- in someone of the President's age is about 3 percent. Though it's higher than that in males and people who are obese, we are thinking of the President, his family, the First Lady and hoping they recover fully and soon. I think this, obviously, has implications in terms of contact tracing, mask wearing, watch the role of testing, all of those things have to be looked at.
I do think that the testing likely gave people in the White House compound a false sense of security. It's really important people not go to work when they're sick. And it's really important that if you've been exposed, you quarantine yourself so you don't risk other people and we can stop those chains of transmission. And, of course, masks really do make a difference and are something that can help us get to a new normal as soon and safely as possible.
BLITZER: Why would the President go over to Walter Reed? What's available at Walter Reed, the National Military Medical Center that's not necessarily available at the White House? Because they have this pretty sophisticated medical unit, as you know at the White House itself.
[17:55:11]
FRIEDEN: Well, I think this is a responsible thing to do. You don't know what's -- what the coming days are going to hold, you want to monitor the oxygen capacity. So you're going to be doing oximetry to see if there's any dip there, you're going to maybe monitor fluid and electrolytes very carefully, you might get a CT scan to look at the lungs and see if there's a pneumonia there.
So, you really want someone who's 74 years old, and has COVID, and has such an important position to be in a hospital where they can be well managed, not in a health unit of a workplace, even if that workplace is the White House.
BLITZER: And what does it say to you, Dr. Frieden, that the President is being treated with this experimental Regeneron polyclonal antibody cocktail, which hasn't even been approved yet, even for emergency use?
FRIEDEN: Well, actually, this morning, I had written that this is a promising treatment, it's unproven. There was a report only have fewer than 300 patients who received it, it seems to be most effective early in disease, especially before patients make antibodies of their own. We don't know if it'll be helpful. But it's something that is not reasonable to try.
BLITZER: We're going to watch it very closely. Dr. Frieden, thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate it very much. As I said, history unfolding here in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is still with us. Sanjay, once again, we're waiting for the President to emerge from the White House and walk over to Marine One which will take him on this very brief flight over to Walter Reed. We're learning more about -- one of the most frustrating things, Sanjay, for all of us is that there's no formal, specific detailed White House briefing from the physicians to tell the American public indeed, to tell the world that we're being seen right now in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Tell the world what's going on as far as the President of United States is concerned?
GUPTA: Yes, Wolf. I mean, it's really quite remarkable. You know, we covered these sorts of things, nothing quite like this. But, you know, typically, you get the President's doctor coming out and talking about things like this, especially as the President is essentially about to be medevac via Marine One, no doubt, about to medevac to the hospital.
And even what we've heard, Wolf, throughout the day, you know, since 1:00 this morning, we've had to sort of piece things together. Mild illness, doing well, had a fever since morning, now moderate illness, receiving an experimental therapy, all these sorts of details being unfurled. And no specific comments or ability to take questions from the White House medical team.
I mean, it really needs to happen. We still don't know fully what's going on here. I can tell you that clearly, the fact that the President is going to be transported by helicopter there does, you know, raise a significant level of concern. I mean, they may say it's an abundance of caution. But as you pointed out with Dr. Frieden, I mean, you know, the White House medical unit can do some of the things that Dr. Frieden was talking about, check pulse oximetry and things like that.
There's something more happening here, Wolf, and, you know, you know, the White House doctors need to come out, talk about this, answer questions. And I think it'll go a long way towards calming people down a bit because it is a bit unsettling right now to see this, Wolf.
Also, you know, keep in mind, Wolf, that typically, it is several days that passed between the time someone is diagnosed with this virus, and the time that they need hospitalization. Today, we know is when the Presidents we are told anyways, the first time the President diagnosed positive for the coronavirus and seems to have had a significant, you know, sort of, you know, decline over the day enough to at least warrant this visit to the hospital.
The testing, presumably, he gets tested every day. So, presumably, he's had negative tests the last several days. And all of this has happened kind of on the same day, that would also indicate a level of concern. Got the disease and is already having significant enough symptoms, I think that's probably, again, why they've said hey, the place the President needs to be is the hospital, close to an intensive care unit, close to the ability to provide whatever additional care he might need. We don't know, but that's what might happen.
Boris Johnson, Wolf, mid-50s, he was diagnosed. A week later, he was in the hospital, spent three days in the intensive care unit, recovered from all that. But, you know, that was a frightening time certainly for him.
BLITZER: We're watching all of this unfold, Sanjay, don't go too far away. We're going to need your expertise as we get more and more information.
And just to update our viewers here in the United States and around the world who may just be tuning in, I'm Wolf Blitzer, you're in "The Situation Room". We're following major breaking news here in Washington, D.C.
You're looking at live pictures coming in from the South Lawn of the White House where Marine One, the President's helicopter is standing by. It will take the President on a very brief flight over to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, very briefly, maybe 10 minutes, if that, not very far away.
