Sun 11 October 2020:
Donald Trump has delivered a speech in front of cheering supporters at the White House in his first public appearance since being hospitalised.
The event was officially a “peaceful protest”, but looked, critics said, much like a Trump campaign rally.
The president, who says he is no longer taking medicines against Covid-19, told the crowd he was “feeling great”.
Trump was not wearing a mask as he addressed a crowd of a few hundred cheering supporters Saturday afternoon from a White House balcony, where he spoke about “law and order” issues in the country.
“I’m honoured to welcome you. We call this a peaceful protest in the White House in support of the incredible men and women of law enforcement and all of the people that work so well with us,” Trump said.
The speech came after White House physician Sean Conley said the president could once again hold public events as of Saturday, 10 days after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people infected with COVID-19 can see others 10 days after their symptoms first appeared, provided their symptoms are improving and they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication.
But public health experts have cautioned against holding large public events where congregants do not wear masks to prevent the potential spread of the novel coronavirus – and some observers questioned Trump’s decision to hold Saturday’s address.
The crowd gathered on Saturday wore blue shirts in support of Blexit, a conservative group co-founded by right-wing commentator Candace Owens that says it aims to lift up minority communities.
“Every day more Black and Latino Americans are leaving behind left-wing politicians and their failed ideology,” Trump told the crowd.
“They failed for many years and many many decades. Democrats have run nearly every inner city in America. And I mean, for 100 years their policies have delivered nothing but calamity, poverty and trouble.”
While the majority of those in attendance wore masks, there was little in the way of physical distancing during the White House event.
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