President Donald Trump revealed on Twitter early Friday morning that he and the first lady had tested positive for Covid-19. He casually mentioned he and the first lady would now begin their quarantine and recovery process. Just hours later, he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Hospital out of 'an abundance of caution.' The latest update I've seen in a 4-minute video, Trump tweeted at around 6 pm Saturday.

My Perspective

I had fourth thoughts when I heard the news that Trump was positive for COVID. First, I thought that this was inevitable with the way he has treated COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. Secondly, the possibility that this was a lie in his attempt to support the herd immunity. My third thought was, 'how stupid are they really.' Lastly, I started to consider the effect the President of the United States having a deadly virus will have on the nation and the rest of the world.

I have no respect for the way Donald Trump has handled COVID. He has been exceedingly reckless in his leadership while taking no responsibility for the behavior of those he influences. Many people have been misled by following the example of the President. Their actions have led to thousands of unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths. We won't mention the economic effects of businesses needing to close due to spread. Spread that could have prevented by people wearing face masks and socially distancing.

Side Note: Something to remember is that not all cases of COVID are created equal. Studies have shown that 19% of the infected population spreads the disease to 80% who ultimately get infected. Some people have a higher viral load than others, causing them to be more contagious. The opposite side of the spectrum is those who are barely symptomatic and continue to engage in everyday activities spreading to people unknowingly. With this being said, the healthier you are, the more careful you must be not to spread to others. 

I will say my initial thought was the possibility that he and Melania weren't sick at all, but he wanted to support his herd immunity mentality. Him being ill and getting better with little to no major medical issues would support his theory. Of course, this is easy to do when you are not actually sick. To be candid, I'm still not 100%, but after the doctors flubbed on the date of his illness and his exposure I sense he is likely actually ill.

My Rose Garden Perspective

Russian Roulette has an 83% survival rate. The survival rate for a person 75 or older with Covid-19 is only slightly higher at 89%. These leaders wouldn't dream of engaging in something as reckless as  Russian Roulette, but they don't seem to realize they are playing a game just as dangerous. Why would all the leaders of the country meet up for a COVID party at the White House, few masks, no social distancing? The White has been relying on rapid testing from a machine created by Abbott Laboratories that is known to have a 45% error rate for nonsymptomatic subjects. So they used this method to screen people and allowed approximately 200 people to attend the Supreme Court nomination celebration in the Rose Garden amid a pandemic. In attendance, the President of the United States, age 74, Vice President, Micheal Pence, age 61, and 3rd in line for the presidency, house speaker, Nancy Pelosi, age 80. Not smart.

I wonder if the people in attendance volunteered to be guinea pigs for herd immunity. A less than average person could see the risk. Aren't our leaders suppose to be smarter? If we can't trust them to care for themselves, how can they care for a country?

Reflection and Being Human

Any president being ill with a known deadly virus is always a serious matter. The President is a figurehead that represents a nation, so there will always be an impact of insecurity world-wide. We live in a world where everyone is into predicting tomorrow. People want to know what will happen so that they can make decisions based on those outcomes. It is why the stock market is effected so sharply in situations like this.

The above video was tweeted from Donald Trump's twitter account around 6 pm today. He looked tired, but what I noticed more than anything was a slight decrease in his ego and a bit of sincerity. These are characteristics I don't commonly pick up on from President Trump.

I wish Trump and all others fighting COVID around the word the best outcome. Sending peace and love. I feel Trump wanted to project a vision of normalcy and prevent people from living in fear of COVID. He understands that fear attracts that which you fear. There is a difference, however, between fear and respect. We should all have a healthy respect for COVID and take proper precautions to keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy.

I'm sorry

Forgive me

I love you

Thank you