Tested positive for the coronavirus, Donald Trump was admitted Friday afternoon for "a few days" in a military hospital near Washington.
The US president is said to have only mild symptoms of the disease, according to his doctor, but he has received experimental treatment.
DECRYPTION
Donald Trump announced it on the night of Thursday to Friday on Twitter: he has tested positive for Covid-19.
Friday afternoon, the tenant of the White House indicated in a video message would be transported to a military hospital to spend the next few days, ensuring, however, that he was doing well.
With thirty-two days of the American presidential election, the Republican had to suspend his campaign, even though he was already in trouble against his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
Why was Donald Trump admitted to hospital?
Events accelerated Friday afternoon, when the US president, who had not tweeted for nearly fourteen hours - an exceptional thing for him - posted a video message on his account.
"I thank everyone for this wonderful support. I am going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I am doing very well but we will make sure things go well," says Donald Trump from one of the salons of the White House.
He also ensures that the First Lady, also tested positive for the coronavirus, "is doing very well."
pic.twitter.com/B4H105KVSs
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
"We have a president at work, who remains in charge of affairs. I am optimistic that he will recover quickly," assured his chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Nevertheless, in private, several advisers expressed concern as the president appeared to have difficulty breathing before he left for hospital.
74 years old and overweight, Donald Trump is one of the patients at risk for the complications that the Covid can cause.
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Why was Donald Trump admitted to this hospital?
Shortly after posting his video message on the networks, Donald Trump appeared stomping, visibly tired despite the thumb he was holding in the air, aboard his Marine One helicopter.
The aircraft flew to Walter Reed Military Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, just ten minutes from Washington.
An event which was broadcast by all the country's televisions.
President Trump walks out of the White House under his own power to Marine One before heading to Walter Reed, followed by Mark Meadows pic.twitter.com/Rve6Yqg1IH
- Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) October 2, 2020
Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, in addition to its proximity to the federal capital, is one of the most famous establishments in the country, in particular because several American presidents have already sought treatment there.
It was there that Ronald Reagan was operated on for colon cancer in the mid-1980s.
What do we know about the experimental treatment received by Donald Trump?
We learned, shortly after Donald Trump's hospitalization, that he had received just before his departure an injection of an experimental antibody treatment.
Doctors injected him with a dose of a synthetic cocktail developed by the Regeneron company, which gave encouraging results although very preliminary, said his doctor Sean Conley in a health bulletin published on Friday afternoon.
Experts are reviewing it and will make "recommendations" for "next steps," Dr Conley added loosely, at the risk of raising some concern.
Since then, no further press release has been issued.
But during the night, Donald Trump assured, via a new tweet, that he "thought he was fine".