American President Donald Trump has returned to the White House after three days of hush around the military hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19.
Trump emerged to the clatter of helicopter rotor blades and the cries of supporters chanting, “Trump, Trump, Trump.”
Nevertheless, they were happy when he boarded Marine One and flew off over the crowd gathered in front of Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, just outside Washington, DC.
“I’m not disappointed based on the security,” said Jasmine Rochon, who had driven 120 miles on Monday from Philadelphia. “But the fact that he flew in and made sure that he turned and waved at us, that’s good enough for me,” she said.
Just before a scheduled briefing from his doctors, Trump tweeted he would be leaving at 18:30 (22:30 GMT), adding that he felt “really good”.
“Feeling really good!” Trump tweeted.
“Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!!”