Trump releases two new videos (except they are a day old) from White House to tout COVID drugs - as he addresses his 'favorite people in the world. The seniors'
President Donald Trump tweeted out two videos including one where he talks about older voters and declares himself a 'senior' as he contends with COVID-19 – but both were shot Wednesday, revealing little about his current condition.
'So, to my favorite people in the world: the seniors. I'm a senior, I know you don't know that. Nobody knows that. Maybe you don't have to tell them. But I'm a senior. We are making tremendous progress with this horrible disease that was sent over from China,' Trump begins.
The video is a follow on to one released Wednesday that was in fact filmed Tuesday. In that video, Trump says he feels cured and repeatedly touts the experimental drug Regeneron – even saying he will provide it free to other Americans through hospitals.
President Donald Trump released two videos from the South Lawn of the White House after his return from Walter Reed, where he received treatment for the coronavirus
This time, he leaves out the name of the drug Trump took along with just 10 other people as scientists continue to study it.
'China will pay a big price for what they did to the world and to us. But we have medicines right now. I call them a cure. I went into the hospital a week ago. I was very sick. And I took this medicine,' Trump said.
'And it was incredible. I could have walked out the following day – sooner. It was incredible the impact it had. And we're going to make that and others that are similar to it. ... we're going to make them available immediately,' Trump pledged.
The video was shot on the South Lawn, and ran just under 2 1/2 minutes. It carries a headline: 'TO MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!'
Trump's appearances on video came on a day that even by late afternoon the White House had not released an update from White House physician Cmdr. Sean Conley.
Trump speaks in the video from an unfamiliar location on the South Lawn
He spoke about defense spending and veterans in one video
Trump's video on the military ended abruptly as the screen went to black
Trump tweeted out a video Wednesday from the Rose Garden that was shot on Tuesday
'This medicine in particular, one medicine was unbelievable. You're going to get the same medicine. You're going to get it free - no charge. And we're going to get it to you soon,' he said. He called it 'totally safe' and 'powerful against this disease.'
Trump includes attacks on Joe Biden. 'He talks and he never did anything in 47 years,' Trump said.
'If it were up to him, you wouldn't have this. You wouldn't have anywhere near it for years,' he said, in an apparent reference to the drug.
'I do know what I'm doing,' Trump said. 'And the seniors are going to be taken care of and then everyone is going to be taken care of.'
Trump is positioned many yards away from the White House, which can be seen somewhat blurry in the background. He is wearing a blue suit, buttoned, and a red tie that can also be seen in a separate video – shot at a different position on the lawn.
An earlier video, released about five hours before, shows Trump in the same outfit, but from a slightly different camera angle.
Both videos are a longer shot than the one Trump made from the Rose Garden, that was shot Tuesday and released Wednesday. The closeup video drew comments online about Trump's dark face makeup.
Also shot on the manicured South Lawn, this one features Trump touting $2.5 trillion in military spending and claiming he took over a 'depleted military.'
'In office, my term. That's over three and a half years, two-point, think of that, 2.5 trillion. I took over a depleted military, old equipment, broken equipment. Even in the Army, all brand new uniforms with the belt, everybody wanted the belt. But we spent $2.5 trillion. We got everybody pay increases, three of them. There's never seen anything like what I've done for the military.'
Task & Purpose, which focuses on military and veterans' issues, wrote that Trump may have been referring to new 'pinks and greens' Army uniforms issued in July. That uniform, like nearly every other Army uniform, includes a belt.
Trump praised the enactment of Veterans Choice legislation, which began in the Obama administration, to allow vets to access private care, but attacked his predecessor. 'Obama gave you a weak version that didn't work. It was a joke,' he said.
'So I just want to tell you, we have your back. Our military has never been stronger. It's never been better. We've never had equipment like we have right now. We have brand new tanks and planes, F-35s. All of the best of everything. Nobody thought it was possible. I just want to thank a lot of the Republican senators because getting it from the Democrats is like pulling teeth. But the Republican Senate, Senator Imhofe and so many others – hey've been fantastic,' Trump said, botching the name of Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma.
'So I just want to thank them very much, but our military has never been in stronger shape.'
'Whether it's a rockets, or missiles, or anything you can name, we're building a lot of ships right now. We're getting our Navy back to where it should be. Everything that you can name is now under development or already developed and sent. Many many planes are coming. They've been ordered. They're being built. They're coming. Jet fighters, bombers, tankers. So for our military, I just want to let you know there's never been a president that has your back like I do.
The video has an odd and abrupt ending. It appears to cut off, possibly even in mid-sentence, as the screen fades to black.