Donald Trump Considers COVID-19 Ordeal 'A Blessing From God'

Donald Trump said on Wednesday that catching COVID-19 was “a blessing from God.” In a video address, the U.S. president said contracting the coronavirus had exposed him to experimental treatments he promised would be free for all Americans.

Trump addressed the nation two days after his release from Walter Reed Hospital on Monday, stressing how well he has been recovering from COVID-19. “I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it,” he said. “This was a blessing in disguise,” he added.

It remains unknown if Donald Trump is still positive for the virus, but he said receiving the medication from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. had allowed him to prove for himself the effectiveness of the drug as a COVID-19 treatment. He previously promoted the drug as a potential cure for the disease despite a lack of recommendation from health experts.

“I want to get for you what I got,” he said. “And I’m going to make it free” he added.

Trump confirmed on Friday last week that he and Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus. His positive test came amid backlash for his slow response to the pandemic, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans since January. Trump has repeatedly downplayed the virus, even discouraging his own people in the White House from using face masks.

Meanwhile, the timing of the recording of the video address remains unclear. In his message, Trump said he had returned to the White House “a day ago,” suggesting that the video was recorded on Tuesday. However, Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff, said the president had recorded the video on early Wednesday morning.

The White House also confirmed that Donald Trump was back at the Oval Office on Wednesday to get briefed about economic stimulus talks and Hurricane Delta. An official from the White House said the president had entered the office from the Rose Garden so he did not have to walk through the White House hallways and expose others to the coronavirus. The White House official also assured that access to the Oval Office remains limited.