President Trump departed Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday evening to return to the White House via Marine One after spending three nights at the hospital for coronavirus treatment.
Upon reaching the White House, Trump took off his mask and saluted Marine One as photographers encircled him. He then walked into the White House, still maskless and infected with COVID-19. The photo op sparked immediate outrage on social media and among cable news commentators.
President Trump was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday evening and boarded Marine One to return to the White House, where he will continue his coronavirus treatment (see vide0).
Why it matters: The president, who has a number of risk factors for severe coronavirus symptoms, is still only a few days out from his initial diagnosis and has already had a number of complications. The course of the illness can run for almost two weeks, though it varies from patient to patient, per the CDC.
President Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in March that he didn't have much time to meet with Anthony Fauci about the pandemic because "this is a busy White House," according to new audio released by Woodward on CNN.
The big picture: Woodward excoriated Trump for suggesting that the coronavirus arrived in the U.S. in "one day," arguing that the president's refusal to meet with the nation's top infectious-diseases expert and listen to warnings from national security experts were "so irresponsible."
After several days of negotiations over safety precautions and logistics, Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence will be separated by plexiglass at the VP debate on Wednesday, two sources familiar with the move confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis has Democrats spooked about being anywhere near him or those in his orbit in the remaining days until the election, so they're scrambling to make last-minute adjustments.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has officially scheduled Judge Amy Coney Barrett's first Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Oct. 12–15.
Why it matters: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Monday that the Senate is moving "full steam ahead" on the process to confirm Barrett before the election, despite three Republican senators testing positive for the coronavirus last week.
U.S. airlines have begun furloughing or laying off tens of thousands of employees, including pilots, after Congress failed to pass a new bailout bill that is supported by members of both parties and the White House.
Axios Re:Cap digs into the current state of play and why it could be very tough for airlines to "unscramble the egg," with Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who recently tested positive for COVID-19, told Wisconsin radio station 630 KHOW that he would go to the Senate "in a moon suit" if that's what is required to vote in person for the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Why it matters: Senate Democrats have demanded that confirmation hearings be delayed in light of positive COVID-19 tests for Johnson and two senators on the Judiciary Committee — Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said pushing ahead "would turn an illegitimate process into a reckless and dangerous one."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) blasted President Trump and his staff on Monday, saying they "acted recklessly" by attending last week's fundraiser event in Bedminster after learning they had been exposed to the coronavirus.
Driving the news: The Republican National Committee sent New Jersey health officials a list on Friday of at least 206 people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus at the fundraiser, which Trump attended after learning that his close aide Hope Hicks had tested positive. Murphy said on Monday that state health officials had contacted 184 of the 206 people.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told the Houston Chronicle that President Trump "let his guard down" when it came to the coronavirus and has created "confusion" by trying to downplay the severity of the pandemic.
Why it matters: Cornyn is a high-ranking Republican senator who is closely aligned with Trump and has rarely criticized the president. Cornyn is in a tighter-than-expected re-election race against Air Force pilot and Democrat MJ Hegar.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden is leading President Trump 49% to 41% in Arizona, according to a new New York Times-Siena College poll.
Why it matters: Arizona carries 11 electoral votes and hasn't voted for a Democratic nominee for president since 1996. The results are essentially unchanged from a Times-Siena poll of the state last month, suggesting Trump remains in a deep hole with less than a month to go until the election.
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in 2022.
Why it matters: Pennsylvania is a key swing state that the Biden and Trump campaigns are jockeying hard to win in November — although Trump won Pennsylvania by less than 1 percentage point four years ago. Toomey also said he will not run for governor in 2022, which leaves two open races in the state.
The Bill Gates-founded group Breakthrough Energy has formally registered lobbyists for the first time.
The state of play: The group has retained the firm Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid, a newly available filing shows. They'll work on "issues related to energy innovation, research & development, industrial decarbonization and decarbonization of liquid fuels," it states.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told Fox News on Monday that the administration is "still optimistic" that President Trump will return to the White House later in the day, after being hospitalized with the coronavirus.
The state of play: In a statement to the network, Meadows said that the president "continued to improve overnight and is ready to get back to a normal working schedule," but noted that Trump will meet with his medical team in order to determine next steps. Trump's doctors hinted Sunday that he could be discharged early this week.
Stocks rallied overnight in Asia and U.S. stock futures are poised to open higher as markets have shown little impact from news that President Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday.
The state of play: Even in the immediate aftermath of Trump sharing the news on Twitter, currency and Treasury markets, which historically have been more attuned to economic and geopolitical upheaval than stocks, had little reaction.
It is very difficult to get a comprehensive, trustworthy read on the severity of President Trump's infection.
What they're saying: Sean Conley, Trump's lead doctor, said all weekend that Trump is doing well and experiencing only relatively minor symptoms. And with its many photo ops, the White House is clearly trying to send the same message.
Democrats are trouncing Republicans on the airwaves in the battle for the Senate, outspending them in nine of the top 10 competitive Senate races.
Why it matters: Even before President Trump's COVID diagnosis, Republicans were growing increasingly concerned that Democrats' money advantage could flip control of the Senate.
An attending physician at the Walter Reed Medical Center led criticism from some in the medical community over President Trump's SUV ride to wave at supporters gathered outside the hospital where he's being treated for COVID-19.
Details: "That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures," physician James Phillips tweeted. "The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play."
President Trump posted a new video to his Twitter account on Sunday saying that he is going to pay a "surprise visit" to supporters who have gathered outside of Walter Reed hospital, where he is being treated for COVID-19. He was spotted moments later in an SUV wearing a mask and waving to supporters.
Why it matters: The drive-by likely violates CDC guidelines, which call on health care professionals to "limit transport and movement of the patient outside of the room to medically essential purposes."
Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller pushed back during a fiery exchange on CNN Sunday against anchor Ana Cabrera's suggestion that President Trump's drive-by visit to supporters outside Walter Reed hospital was for a "photo op."
Details: "I don't think this was a stunt at all," Miller said in response to Cabrera's suggestion that this was the reason Trump had left the hospital Sunday where he's being treated for COVID-19.
