President Donald Trump delivered remarks from the White House balcony Saturday in his first in-person event since he tested positive for coronavirus.In his approximately 18-minute speech Trump said a COVID-19 vaccine "is coming out very very quickly" in "record time."Trump, who was diagnosed on Oct. 1 and spent several days in the hospital, said COVID-19 will "disappear," again referring to it as the "China virus."More than 213,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 7.6 million in the U.S. have been diagnosed. An ABC News analysis of COVID-19 trends across all states as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico found there were increases in newly confirmed cases over the past two weeks in 28 states.MORE: Candace Owens' BLEXIT group pays for some attendees' travel to Trump's White House eventThe gathering was held on the South Lawn of the White House in conjunction with a previously planned event organized by conservative activist Candace Owens, whose campaign, BLEXIT, urges Black Americans to leave the Democratic Party.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump arrives to speak about law and order from the South Portico of the White House in Washington on Oct. 10, 2020. Trump spoke publicly for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19.President Donald Trump arrives to speak about law and order from the South Portico of the White House in Washington on Oct. 10, 2020. Trump spoke publicly for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19."Every day more Black and Latino Americans are leaving behind left-wing politicians and their failed ideology," Trump said, speaking from the White House balcony as a sea of supporters cheered below.Those watching Trump from the White House lawn wore red MAGA hats and blue BLEXIT t-shirts. They were not socially distanced.Alex Brandon/APPresident Donald Trump speaks from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters, Oct. 10, 2020, in Washington.President Donald Trump speaks from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters, Oct. 10, 2020, in Washington."Democrats have run nearly every inner-city in America and, I mean, for 100 years, and their policies have delivered nothing but calamity, poverty and trouble," the president said.Trump said he recently announced his plan "to deliver more opportunities, security, fairness and prosperity to the Black community, to the Hispanic community."Tom Brenner/ReutersPresident Donald Trump gestures as he stands on a White House balcony speaking to supporters gathered on the South Lawn for a campaign rally that the White House is calling a "peaceful protest" in Washington, Oct. 10, 2020.President Donald Trump gestures as he stands on a White House balcony speaking to supporters gathered on the South Lawn for a campaign rally that the White House is calling a "peaceful protest" in Washington, Oct. 10, 2020."It's going to bring back new jobs like at a level that you've never seen before -- and we've done a lot," he said. "Increased capital, it's going to increase money coming into the Black community, to the Hispanic community, where it's been very much shut out. ... We're going to build up a peaceful and safer neighborhood program like you haven't seen, with the highest standards of policing."
Trump urged the crowd to vote, calling this year "this is the single most important election in the history of our country."The public has not been made aware of any negative COVID-19 test taken by the president since his Oct. 1 diagnosis.MORE: Trump itching to get back to campaign trail, but he and White House evasive on health questionsDr. Sean Conley, the president's personal physician, opened the door for the president to hold public events saying in a press release Thursday night that, "Saturday will be day 10 since" Trump's diagnosis.With just days separating the president from his stay at Walter Reed Medical Center, experts fear this type of event threatens to exacerbate the crisis already engulfing the White House and further spread the disease. On Wednesday, ABC News reported that the coronavirus outbreak had infected "34 White House staffers and other contacts" in recent days, citing an internal government memo. At least 14 people who attended a Sept. 26 Rose Garden event have tested positive for COVID-19.For Saturday's event, all attendees were instructed to bring a mask, a source familiar with the planning of the event told ABC News. The attendees were expected to have their temperature checked and fill out a brief questionnaire, the source added.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Source : abcnews.go.com
Source : abcnews.go.com