Trump To Speak At White House Saturday, 1st Public Event Since COVID-19 Diagnosis

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President Trump walks out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Monday.

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Evan Vucci/AP

President Trump walks out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Monday.

Evan Vucci/AP

Updated at 4:47 p.m. ET

President Trump plans to deliver remarks on Saturday at an outdoor event, his first public event since being hospitalized for the coronavirus, a White House official confirmed to NPR’s Tamara Keith. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans.

The event, first reported by ABC News, is expected to take place on the South Lawn of the White House.

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah had said the White House would give an update when Trump tests negative for the virus and is cleared by his medical team.

Trump’s doctor said Thursday that he expected Trump would be ready to resume public activities on Saturday.

The news last week that the president had contracted the coronavirus threw into chaos an already tumultuous election year.

Questions about the president’s health and Republicans’ ability to fast-track Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, remain, even as Trump has assured the American public of his full recovery and Senate GOP lawmakers push to begin hearing proceedings for Barrett’s confirmation.

Several attendees to Trump’s Sept. 26 Rose Garden announcement of Barrett’s nomination have since tested positive for the coronavirus, including the first lady, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and close Trump contacts Kellyanne Conway and Chris Christie.

Late Friday afternoon, the Trump campaign announced the president would deliver remarks at the Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.

This will be the first time Trump has traveled since an Oct. 1 fundraiser, after which he tested positive for the coronavirus.