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Trump returns to White House after COVID treatment
President Donald Trump returned to the White House Monday evening after being treated for COVID-19 for three days at the hospital, and removed his mask to pose for photos on a balcony before walking into the residence.
Trump didn’t speak to reporters at the White House and only said “thank you very much” to those gathered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center before boarding the presidential helicopter. Back at the White House, he walked up the South Portico stairs to the balcony, where he removed his mask, flashed thumbs-up with both hands and saluted for several seconds.
He did not appear to put his mask back on before walking into the residence. The show of defiance toward both the virus and public health measures to combat its spread was in keeping with the president’s tone earlier when he announced he would leave the Bethesda, Maryland, hospital.
In a video released shortly afterward, Trump said of the virus: “Don’t let it dominate you.”
“I knew there’s danger to it. But I had to do it. I stood out front. I led. Nobody that’s a leader would not do what I did. I know there’s a risk. I know there’s a danger. But that’s O.K. And now I’m better. Maybe I’m immune, I don’t know,” he said.
“Get out there, be careful,” Trump added. “The vaccines are coming momentarily.”
The president has received medical care unavailable to most people, including three powerful medicines and an airlift to and from the hospital. The virus has infected more than 7.4 million Americans and has killed more than 210,000 since February, including 475 on Sunday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The president’s aides hope to keep him at the White House residence and away from the Oval Office but are uncertain how long that will last, according to people familiar with the matter.“We’ll be back on the campaign trail soon!!!” Trump tweeted before leaving the hospital.
“Over the past 24 hours, the president has continued to improve. He’s met or exceeded all hospital discharge criteria,” White House physician Sean Conley said at a briefing after Trump’s announcement.
Trump “may not entirely be out of the woods” but the rest of his care can safely be performed at the White House, Conley said.
The race to determine who would be the next US president is well underway. Here’s a look at the developments along the way that lead to the election day on November 3, 2020.
The president received a fourth dose of an antiviral drug, Remdesivir, at Walter Reed before he was discharged and will get a fifth dose at the White House, his medical team said.
“He’s returning to a facility, the White House medical unit, that’s staffed 24-7,” Conley said, adding, “Every day a patient stays in the hospital unnecessarily is a risk to themselves.”
Conley said coronavirus patients could stop shedding the virus in as few as five days after diagnosis, and that Trump would be monitored to determine when he is no longer infectious. The White House plans for Trump to stay in the residence for a few days before returning to normal, one of the people familiar with the matter said.
The White House is creating additional room for Trump to work in the residence, and avoid heading into the Oval Office, by converting the Map Room and Diplomatic Reception Room into office space, according to a person familiar with the matter.
All aides who will see Trump over the next few days will be required to be in full personal protective equipment and maintain physical distance from the president, that person said, asking not to be identified discussing internal preparations.
Conley conceded that the course of Trump’s illness could still take a turn. “We all remain cautiously optimistic and on guard because we’re in a bit of uncharted territory when it comes to a patient that received the therapies he has so early in the course,” he said.
“We’re looking to this weekend,” Conley added. “If we can get through to Monday with him remaining the same or improving, better yet, then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief.”
Trump has received doses of two other medicines, including an experimental “antibody cocktail” and a steroid, dexamethasone, usually used to combat inflammation in people with more severe cases of Covid-19.
During the news conference, one of Trump’s doctors read off a list of the president’s vital signs as of this morning, including his temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate and blood-oxygen saturation level. His medical team has not previously released that data to the public.
But Conley declined to discuss the results of scans of Trump’s lungs, citing federal health privacy law.
Trump went to the hospital Friday evening, after announcing early that morning he’d tested positive for the virus. He was briefly administered supplemental oxygen at the White House before traveling to Walter Reed, Conley said Sunday.
The White House did not provide any update on Trump’s health in more than 24 hours between Sunday and Monday. Before he suddenly announced he would leave the hospital, he had not said anything about his condition on Twitter since shortly after 5 pm Sunday.
With less than a month until Election Day, Trump’s hospitalization has jolted the presidential campaign, forcing him to scrap rallies and other events as polls show him trailing Joe Biden nationally and in swing states. His campaign has launched “Operation MAGA,” referring to his Make America Great Again slogan, to flood the campaign trail with top surrogates like Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s family and others.
Among the aides who were with the president Monday evening as he was preparing to leave Max Miller, the deputy campaign manager for presidential operations, and Bobby Peede, the White House director of advance. They arrived at the hospital just before 3pm, heading to presidential suite.
Peede had the coronavirus earlier this year, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Trump’s release comes after a weekend of mixed signals from Conley, who on Sunday disclosed for the first time that the president had been given supplemental oxygen and received a medication that’s typically used in more severe Covid-19 patients.
Asked why he didn’t disclose during Saturday’s briefing that Trump had received oxygen despite repeated questions about it, Conley said, “I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude” of the team and the president.
Trump was diagnosed with the disease late Thursday, after a close aide, Hope Hicks, also tested positive for the virus.
The president first tested positive after he returned from a fundraiser at his New Jersey golf resort on Thursday, McEnany told reporters on Sunday evening. Trump made an appearance on Fox News on Thursday night before disclosing on Twitter shortly after midnight on Friday that he had tested positive.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Monday criticized Trump’s travel to the fundraiser at his Bedminster golf resort in the state, saying it ought to have been canceled. The president went to the event despite knowing Hicks had tested positive.
“I hope it’s a lesson that now we’ve all learned,” Murphy said on CBS’s “This Morning.”
Biden, speaking in Miami, wished Trump and the first lady well and said he hoped the president would take mask-wearing seriously.
“I was glad to see the president speaking and recording videos over the weekend,” Biden said. “Now that he’s busy tweeting campaign messages, I would ask him to do this: Listen to the scientists, support masks.”
News
JUST IN: Release files on Tinubu, US judge orders FBI, DEA
JUST IN: Release files on Tinubu, US judge orders FBI, DEA
A United States District Court in Washington, D.C., has directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to make public records concerning President Bola Tinubu.
Judge Beryl Howell issued the order on Tuesday in response to a motion filed by Aaron Greenspan, an American citizen seeking a review of a previous ruling.
In her decision, Howell dismissed the agencies’ justification for withholding the information, stating that shielding such documents from the public “is neither logical nor plausible.”
Greenspan alleged that the agencies violated the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by failing to produce documents regarding alleged federal probes into both President Tinubu and Abiodun Agbele within the legally mandated timeframe.
In 1993, Tinubu forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government after officials linked the funds to proceeds from narcotics-related activities.
The issue resurfaced during proceedings at Nigeria’s Presidential Election Petition Court, where opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi cited the forfeiture in challenging Tinubu’s eligibility for office. The court ultimately dismissed the petitions and upheld his election.
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Judge Howell’s latest ruling partially supports Greenspan’s claims, particularly concerning the agencies’ reliance on what’s known as a “Glomar response”—a refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records.
According to the judge, the FBI and DEA failed to demonstrate that their use of the Glomar principle was appropriate in this case.
She wrote, “the claim that the Glomar responses were necessary to protect this information from public disclosure is at this point neither logical nor plausible,” noting that Tinubu had already been publicly identified as a subject in investigations by both agencies.
Further explaining the legal framework, Howell stated that a FOIA requester can challenge a Glomar response either by disputing the claim that disclosure would cause identifiable harm, or by proving that the agency has already officially acknowledged the information in question.
In this instance, Greenspan made both arguments. He contended that: “The plaintiffs’ argument that (1) DEA has officially confirmed investigations of Agbele’s involvement in the drug trafficking ring, (2) the FBI and DEA have both officially confirmed investigations of Tinubu relating to the drug trafficking ring, (3) any privacy interests implicated by the FOIA requests to the FBI and DEA for records about Tinubu are overcome by the public interest in release of such information, and (4) the CIA has officially acknowledged records responsive to plaintiff’s FOIA request about Tinubu.”
JUST IN: Release files on Tinubu, US judge orders FBI, DEA
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US envoy meets Tinubu in Paris over economic war
US envoy meets Tinubu in Paris over economic war
The United States has opened discussions with President Bola Tinubu on expanding economic cooperation across Africa as part of efforts to deepen trade, investment, and development ties on the continent.
This was disclosed following a meeting on Thursday between President Tinubu and U.S. State Department Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, in Paris, where the Nigerian leader is currently on a short working visit.
According to a statement posted Friday on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, and shared by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the talks also touched on key security concerns in the region.
“State Department Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos met with President Tinubu on Thursday to discuss regional security, including working together with partners to build a durable peace in eastern DRC,” the U.S. Mission stated.
“They also discussed expanding opportunities for economic cooperation throughout Africa,” it added.
The meeting comes at a time when Nigeria is working to reposition itself as a hub for investment and economic growth on the continent.
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President Tinubu has consistently called for stronger global partnerships to drive industrialization, job creation, and infrastructure development in Africa.
Though specific details of the economic discussions were not disclosed, analysts say the meeting reflects growing American interest in engaging with African leaders on development-focused diplomacy, with Nigeria seen as a critical anchor in West Africa.
President Tinubu has been in Paris since Wednesday, April 2, undertaking a short working visit aimed at reviewing his administration’s midterm performance and setting strategic priorities for the next phase of his tenure.
While abroad, the President has remained actively engaged in state matters, and Thursday’s high-level engagement with the U.S. State Department underscores Nigeria’s central role in regional affairs and global economic conversations.
Tinubu is expected to return to the country shortly, with public attention focused on the outcome of his consultations and the anticipated direction of new policies in the coming months.
US envoy meets Tinubu in Paris over economic war
News
US honours Soyinka, Okundaye at African Cultural Festival 2025 Pennsylvania
US honours Soyinka, Okundaye at African Cultural Festival 2025 Pennsylvania
The United States government through the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania Senate has honoured the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and the renowned African art icon, Chief Nike Okundaye of Nike Art Gallery, Lagos for their contributions to art in Nigeria and globally.
While Soyinka was conferred with “Distinguished Honors” for his extraordinary contributions to literature, culture, human rights, and global discourse, Nike Okundaye was honored for her revolutionary impact on contemporary African art.
She was recognized for being the pioneer of the Adire resist-dyeing technique, which has seamlessly blended ancestral motifs with modern aesthetics, earning global acclaim, thereby solidifying her legacy as a custodian of African heritage.
The honor was bestowed on them on March 26 at the unveiling of African Cultural Festival 2025 held at the Pennsylvania State Capitol . The festival will take place from September 19 to 20, 2025, in Pennsylvania.
The Senate of Pennsylvania lauded Professor Soyinka for his pioneering role in modern African literature and his relentless advocacy for free speech, social justice, and democracy.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives, led by Speaker Joanna E. McClinton, also commended him for his unparalleled literary achievements and for inspiring critical thoughts across generations.’
For Okundaye, she was honoured for giving hope to marginalised women, training and equipping over 5,000 women with Adire-making, weaving, and traditional craft skills.
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“Her mission to foster economic independence and cultural continuity has empowered communities across Nigeria and beyond, ensuring that African artistry thrives in future generations,” the House and the Senate stated.
Speaking about the upcoming festival, Wole Adeniyi, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of ACI234, said the festival was designed to celebrate African heritage, foster international collaboration, and stimulate trade and cultural exchange between Africa, the United States, and the world.
Adeniyi emphasised that the festival will solidify Africa’s cultural influence while creating pathways for sustainable growth and artistic innovation.
He thanked the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the Senate, and the State of Pennsylvania for honouring the two Nigerian icons of art.
Part of activities lined up for the festival includes the launching of Duduplugs, an innovative digital platform by ACI234 Entertainment LLC, designed to connect creative industries across continents, and elevate Africa’s creative economy.
Commenting on the upcoming event, Festival Director Foluke Michael described the African Cultural Festival as a celebration of tradition and innovation — a vibrant fusion of Africa’s timeless heritage with contemporary expression.
She acknowledged the pivotal role of the Lagos State Government in laying the foundation for this global movement through the Lagos Black Heritage Festival, which was steered by Professor Wole Soyinka during his tenure as Festival Consultant.
“That era gave birth to a cultural renaissance,” Michael noted. “It was during that time that the iconic Rhumble in Lagos — featuring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and boxing legend Evander Holyfield — became a symbolic moment that planted the seed for what we now know as the African Cultural Festival.”
She further revealed that the official countdown to the 2025 edition will begin in Lagos at the end of April, setting the stage for a global celebration of African excellence.
US honours Soyinka, Okundaye at African Cultural Festival 2025 Pennsylvania
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