’Losing their minds'

Inside the West Wing’s narrow corridors, where staffers for months have worked in proximity largely without masks, what had long been an atmosphere of invincibility turned into one of apprehension and panic. “People are losing their minds,” said the outside adviser.

First, aides fretted about their own risks of exposure. If the president got infected, so might they. Then they considered the political implications, coming so close to the Nov. 3 election. “We don’t want to be talking about coronavirus and now we’re talking about coronavirus,” the outside adviser said.

“The hit writes itself: He can’t protect the country. He couldn’t even protect himself.”

Then they considered the reality that the president could actually get very sick. Trump was unusually quiet Friday, not appearing before cameras nor even calling into Fox News Channel by phone, as he does from time to time.

Washington Post

https://apple.news/AGnV4w4XgRu-S4W5WtSmBfQ

President Trump will be transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours after testing positive for the deadly coronavirus, according to the White House. Trump is struggling with a low-grade fever, a cough and nasal congestion, among other symptoms, said two officials familiar with his condition.

Trump has received an experimental “antibody cocktail” treatment, his physician said.

First lady Melania Trump said on Twitter that she has “mild symptoms” but is “overall feeling good.”

Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, have both tested negative for the coronavirus, his campaign said.

At a news conference at the Capitol on Wednesday morning, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) defended President Trump’s comments about white supremacist organizations during the previous night’s debate, saying the president sufficiently denounced such groups.

“Well, I think the president has been very clear that he’s against anybody committing violence in the streets,” McCarthy said when asked about Trump’s remarks. He pointed to the president’s recent pledge to designate the Ku Klux Klan and the loosely organized “antifa” movement as terrorist organizations.

“I was concerned when I listened to Joe Biden try to claim that antifa was not a group,” McCarthy continued. “I don’t know what’s on the streets then. I don’t know what’s causing a lot of these problems.”

Pressed further about Trump’s comments — specifically his “stand back and stand by” remark — McCarthy doubled down on his defense of the president, saying Trump clearly denounced white supremacist groups in his initial response to moderator Chris Wallace.

Nicolle Wallace: Trump's Debate Performance Felt Like 'An Assault' On American Politics