President Trump took a brief motorcade ride to thank supporters gathered outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on Sunday afternoon. The motorcade took a mask-wearing Trump down both sides of the divided road in front of the hospital complex, first going south on Rockville Pike in front of the media cameras and then turning around to ride northbound past supporters, with Trump waving and flashing a thumbs up. The ride served to show how well Trump is doing with his infection by the COVID-19 China coronavirus that put him in Walter Reed on Friday.
Screen image via Philip Crowther/Twitter.
WATCH: President Trump’s motorcade drives past supporters outside of Walter Reed medical center. pic.twitter.com/vxKWAFv83t
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 4, 2020
President Trump drives by supporters outside Walter Reed Medical Center. pic.twitter.com/V5UchepTRs
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 4, 2020
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That’s Trump driving by his supporters outside Walter Reed military hospital. pic.twitter.com/eqA0RGkr6A
— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) October 4, 2020
As viewed in these photos, Secret Service agents in the driver’s and front passenger seats could be seen wearing PPE over the heads, faces and torsos as they do inside Walter Reed.
My close-ups from Trump’s drive-by outside Walter Reed hospital. pic.twitter.com/sx1lALWIIU
— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) October 4, 2020
That did not stop reporters from having a meltdown over Trump’s short trip to thank supporters. Trump was accused by several reporters of endangering the agents.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, “Seven months into global pandemic that’s killed 200,000 Americans, Trump says he now “understands” COVID after contracting it, and then immediately gets into a car with a least 2 other people to wave at people”
Seven months into global pandemic that’s killed 200,000 Americans, Trump says he now “understands” COVID after contracting it, and then immediately gets into a car with a least 2 other people to wave at people
— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) October 4, 2020
Washington Post “conservative” Jennifer Rubin with campaign advice for the Biden-Harris ticket,”‘ “Good thing Pence will be on debate stage on Wed so he can explain why Trump put secret service detail at risk for a vanity ride. Have you no decency Mr. VP? cc: @KamalaHarris”
Good thing Pence will be on debate stage on Wed so he can explain why Trump put secret service detail at risk for a vanity ride. Have you no decency Mr. VP? cc: @KamalaHarris
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 4, 2020
“He is in the hospital for covid and he wants to infect his supporters??!???!?”
He is in the hospital for covid and he wants to infect his supporters??!???!?
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 4, 2020
Bloomberg’s Jordan Fabian, “How many staff/USSS agents were potentially exposed to pull off this photo op?”
“President Trump took a short, last-minute motorcade ride to wave to his supporters outside and has now returned to the Presidential Suite inside Walter Reed,” WH spokesman @JuddPDeere45 said
How many staff/USSS agents were potentially exposed to pull off this photo op?
— Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) October 4, 2020
The New York Times’ Shane Goldmacher, “The Secret Service personnel put in an enclosed space with a contagious Trump for a photo op”
The Secret Service personnel put in an enclosed space with a contagious Trump for a photo op https://t.co/s0TLanB970
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) October 4, 2020
CNN’s MJ Lee, “Trump has gotten in a car so he can wave to supporters outside Walter Reed. As you can see from footage, this meant multiple agents riding in a car with Trump while he carries the coronavirus”
Trump has gotten in a car so he can wave to supporters outside Walter Reed. As you can see from footage, this meant multiple agents riding in a car with Trump while he carries the coronavirus pic.twitter.com/FIk4CtApnu
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) October 4, 2020
NBC’s Kate Snow, “t must be noted that this runs against every public health guideline. Someone positive with symptomatic Covid-19 is to isolate. Who drove the car? Were Secret Service officers with him?”
It must be noted that this runs against every public health guideline. Someone positive with symptomatic Covid-19 is to isolate. Who drove the car? Were Secret Service officers with him? https://t.co/2TNXT1D8Km
— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) October 4, 2020
Minutes before his surprise trip outside, President Trump posted a video message from his suite at Walter Reed:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2020
Soon pic.twitter.com/U8cXqWHzAf
— Jack Posobiec 🎃 (@JackPosobiec) October 4, 2020