US Elections 2020: Trump plans rally on October 10; COVID-19 status still unclear despite return from hospital

United States President Donald Trump insisted on October 8 that he is ready to resume his re-election campaign with a rally on October 10 in Florida. This comes as his doctor said the president had “completed his course of therapy" for COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus virus.

Trump has not been seen in public — other than videos produced at the White House — since his return on October 5 from the military hospital where he received experimental treatments for the infectious disease. The US president and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 2.

On October 8, Trump’s physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, said in a memo that the president would be able to safely “return to public engagements” on October 10. This development is important for Trump as he is hoping to bring his campaign back on track, with just three weeks before the November 3 elections. But, it is unclear if Trump has tested negative.

“I’m feeling good. Really good. I think perfect," Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox Business. “I think I’m better to the point where I’d love to do a rally tonight,” Trump said. He added, “I don't think I'm contagious at all."

While Trump said he believes he is no longer contagious, concerns about infection may have scuttled plans for the second presidential debate next week.

In a Fox News interview the same night, Trump said he wanted to hold a rally in Florida on October 10 “if we have enough time to put it together.” He said he might also hold a rally the following night in Pennsylvania.

New proposal for in-person debate with Biden

Trump’s campaign also proposed pushing back the dates of the remaining two presidential debates dates by a week. But the move was immediately rejected by rival Joe Biden’s campaign. The two remaining debates were scheduled for October 15 and 22.

This proposal came hours after the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced that the October 15 debate in Miami will happen virtually – with both participants in remote locations.

Trump told Fox News that he is “not going to do a virtual debate. I’m not going to waste my time at a virtual debate. That’s not what debating is all about. It’s ridiculous. And then they cut you off whenever they want.”

Pushing for postponement of the debates, Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien said, “We agree that this should happen on October 22, and accordingly, the third debate should then be shifted back one week to October 29. The commission and the media cannot hide Joe Biden forever. Americans deserve to hear directly from both presidential candidates on these dates, October 22 and 29.”

But ‘Biden for President’ deputy campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said Trump “doesn’t make the debate schedule; the Debate Commission does” and that Biden is looking forward to participating in the final debate on October 22.