Trump plans to participate in October 15 US Presidential debate: Campaign spokesman

US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House on October 5 after spending four days at a military hospital where he was treated for coronavirus, now intends to participate in the next presidential debate scheduled on October 15 in Miami, Florida. While speaking to CNN, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said that it is the President’s intention to debate. 

Trump was discharged from the Walter Reed National Medical Center after doctors treating him found that he was fit enough to go back home. White House physician Dr Sean Conley told reporters at the Walter Reed National Military Center, Trump has exceeded all standard hospital discharge criteria and has received another dose of remdesivir drug in his treatment of COVID-19.

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"It's been more than 72 hours since his last fever. Oxygen levels, including ambulatory saturations and his work of breathing or all normal though. He may not entirely be out of the woods, yet the team and I agree that all our evaluations and most importantly, his clinical status support the president's safe return home, where he'll be surrounded by world-class medical care 24 seven," Dr Conley said.

After returning to the White House, Trump in an unusual decision climbed up to the South Portico stairs, instead of the elevators, to go to his residence. After taking off the mask, the US President stood up in the portico facing South Lawns for a few minutes and saluted Marine One. In a recorded video message, Trump, while referring to the deadly virus, said, “Don’t let it dominate you. Don’t be afraid of it”. He added, “We’re going back, we’re going back to work. We’re going to be out front. Don’t let it dominate your lives. Get out there, be careful”. 

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Biden leads over Trump after 1st debate 

Meanwhile, with less than a month until the US presidential election, recent polls show Trump behind Democratic nominee Joe Biden and left scrambling even harder by his hospitalisation to catch up. According to Wall Street Journal poll, Biden’s national lead over Republican leader Donald Trump increased to 14 percentage points after September 29 presidential debate. The former vice president now has the backing of 53 per cent of those surveyed, while 39 per cent backed the US President. The recent poll released on October 4 is Biden’s highest jump in point percentage since he entered the race. 

The poll was conducted two days after the disorderly and chaotic debate. The recent survey showed a six-point jump for Biden from a September 20 poll. According to WSJ, the biggest declines for the US President were among seniors and suburban women, who are now backing Biden. 

(Image- AP; Inputs- ANI) 

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