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WASHINGTON — All three branches of the U.S. government were thrown into chaos on Saturday following President Donald Trump's hospitalization for COVID-19 and a growing number of administration officials and key members of Congress announcing positive test results.
After the president spent the night under treatment for the virus at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, his physician, Dr. Sean Conley, emerged from the hospital on Saturday to offer a sunny outlook on the president's prognosis. Minutes later, an unnamed White House official described the president's circumstances as "very concerning" to reporters at the scene.
Almost simultaneously, the U.S. Senate canceled work in Washington next week, as a third Republican senator, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, announced he tested positive for the virus. Given the impending U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, there are increasing doubts over whether the Senate will have the capacity — and even the quorums needed — to handle that proceeding.
The upheaval began early Friday morning, when President Trump announced in an overnight tweet that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. By Friday evening, he was on a Marine One helicopter flight from the White House to the Walter Reed medical facility.
On Saturday morning, an upbeat Conley delivered remarks to the country, saying that Trump was “doing very well." But he brushed off reporter questions about the extent of Trump's treatment.
And minutes later, a person identified as a source familiar with the president’s health told reporters: "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."
By Saturday afternoon, multiple news outlets reported Trump received supplemental oxygen after his oxygen levels dropped.
Adding to the intrigue was a detail tucked away in Conley's remarks: That Trump's diagnosis came 72 hours prior to Saturday — a full day before Trump announced positive results. Two hours later, Conley released a statement through the White House with a subject line of "Timeline Clarification."
"This morning while summarizing the President's health, I incorrectly used the term 'seventy two hours' instead of 'day three' and 'forty eight hours' instead of 'day two' with regards to his diagnosis and the administration of the polyclonal antibody therapy," he wrote. "The President was first diagnosed with COVID-19 on the evening of Thursday, October 1st and had received Regeron's antibody cocktail on Friday, October 2nd."
Since the revelation that Trump tested posted for the virus, an additional series of senior Republican officials who were in proximity to the president at Barrett's recent nomination announcement during campaign travel or in preparation sessions for last Tuesday's debate have announced that they, too, had contracted the virus.
It remained unclear on Saturday how any of these events would affect the presidential and down-ballot campaigns in Texas and elsewhere around the country going forward. But Texas members of Congress, some of who are running for election, began to react to the news on Twitter.
"Im in Boerne, Texas, @realDonaldTrump - and they’re all pulling for you because they #StandUpForAmerica," wrote U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin. "They know it’s time for #NextManUp - together we stand for all the forgotten Americans who want to live free & who want leaders fighting for them against the swamp..."
U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Terrell, retweeted a video of Conley stating he is "extremely happy" with the president's progress, adding "Great news!"
Earlier Saturday, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat, retweeted a comment from Texas Democratic political strategist Matt Angle stating, "Decency & humanity call on us to hope for a quick, full recovery for @realDonaldTrump. It doesn't let @GregAbbott_TX, @JohnCornyn & other @TexasGOP candidates off the hook for deadly negligence & incompetence leading to thousands of TX deaths."