thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Elevated U.S. Layoffs Signal Economy Struggling To Sustain Tentative Recovery

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined last week to a still-high 837,000 , evidence that the economy is struggling to sustain a tentative recovery that began this summer .
The Labor Department ’ s report , released Thursday , suggests that companies are still cutting a historically high number of jobs , though the weekly numbers have become less reliable as states have increased their efforts to root out fraudulent claims and process earlier applications that have piled up .
For example , California , which accounts for more than one-quarter of aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it submitted the previous week .
The state had said it would stop accepting jobless claims online so it could tackle a backlog of 600,000 claims .
Measures of the U.S. economy have been sending mixed signals .
Consumer confidence jumped in September , fueled by optimism among higher-income households , though it remains below pre-pandemic levels .
And a measure of pending home sales rose in August to a record high , lifted by ultra-low mortgage rates .
Yet some real-time measures indicate that growth has lost momentum with the viral pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retailers , hotels , restaurants and airlines , nearly seven months after it paralyzed the economy .
An economic index compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York grew in September at a weaker pace than during the summer months .
In its report on jobless claims Thursday , the Labor Department said the number of people who are continuing to receive benefits fell to 11.8 million , extending a steady decline since spring .
That suggests that many of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of jobless Americans have exhausted their regular state unemployment benefits .
Some of them are likely transitioning to an extended jobless aid program that provides benefits for an additional three months .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined last week to a still-high 837,000, evidence that the economy is struggling to sustain a tentative recovery that began this summer.
The Labor Department’s report, released Thursday, suggests that companies are still cutting a historically high number of jobs, though the weekly numbers have become less reliable as states have increased their efforts to root out fraudulent claims and process earlier applications that have piled up.
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For example, California, which accounts for more than one-quarter of aid applications, simply provided the same figure it submitted the previous week. The state had said it would stop accepting jobless claims online so it could tackle a backlog of 600,000 claims.
Measures of the U.S. economy have been sending mixed signals. Consumer confidence jumped in September, fueled by optimism among higher-income households, though it remains below pre-pandemic levels. And a measure of pending home sales rose in August to a record high, lifted by ultra-low mortgage rates.
Yet some real-time measures indicate that growth has lost momentum with the viral pandemic still squeezing many employers, especially small retailers, hotels, restaurants and airlines, nearly seven months after it paralyzed the economy. An economic index compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York grew in September at a weaker pace than during the summer months.
In its report on jobless claims Thursday, the Labor Department said the number of people who are continuing to receive benefits fell to 11.8 million, extending a steady decline since spring. That suggests that many of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Chris Cuomo Calls Out Ted Cruz

Chris Cuomo Calls Out Ted Cruz

Things got personal after Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) attacked Chris Cuomo ’ s brother , New York Gov @ @ @ @ @ ) , over his state ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic .

Chris Cuomo Calls Out Ted Cruz
Things got personal after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) attacked Chris Cuomo’s brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), over his state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Trump Administration Plans To Slash Refugee Admissions To U.S. To Record Low

In a notice sent to Congress late Wednesday , just 34 minutes before a statutory deadline to do so , the administration said it intended to admit a maximum of 15,000 refugees in fiscal year 2021 .
That ’ s 3,000 fewer than the 18,000 ceiling the administration had set for fiscal year 2020 , which expired at midnight Wednesday .
The proposal will now be reviewed by Congress , where there are strong objections to the cuts , but lawmakers will be largely powerless to force changes .
The more than 16.5 % reduction was announced shortly after President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden at a campaign rally in Duluth , Minnesota , where he assailed his opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden .
He claimed Biden wants to flood the state with foreigners .
“ Biden will turn Minnesota into a refugee camp , and he said that — overwhelming public resources , overcrowding schools and inundating hospitals .
You know that .
It ’ s already there .
It ’ s a disgrace what they ’ ve done to your state , ” Trump told supporters .
“ We continue to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian crisis all around the world , and we will continue to do so , ” Pompeo told reporters in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy .
“ Certainly so long as President Trump is in office , I can promise you this administration is deeply committed to that.
” But advocates say the government ’ s actions do not show that .
Since taking office , Trump has slashed the number of refugees allowed into the country by more than 80 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both legal and illegal immigration .
The U.S. allowed in just over 10,800 refugees — a little more than half of the 18,000 cap set by Trump for 2020 — before the State Department suspended the program because of the coronavirus .
The 18,000 cap was already the lowest in the history of the program .
In addition , the State Department announced last week that it would no longer provide some statistical information on refugee resettlement , sparking more concerns .
Scores of resettlement offices have closed because of the drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of refugees placed in the U.S. “ We ’ re talking about tens of millions of desperate families with no place to go and having no hope for protection in the near term , ” said Krish Vignarajah , president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service , a federally funded agency charged with resettling refugees in the United States .
Bisrat Sibhatu , an Eritrean refugee , does not want to think about the possibility of another year passing without reuniting with his wife .
For the past 2 1/2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who helped him resettle in Milwaukee every two weeks to inquire about the status of his wife ’ s refugee case .
“ My wife is always asking me : ‘ Is there news ?
’ ” said Sibhatu , who talks to her daily over a messaging app .
“ It ’ s very tough .
How would you feel if you were separated from your husband ?
It ’ s not easy .
I don ’ t know what to say to her.
” He said the couple fled Eritrea ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethiopia , which hosts more than 170,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers .
Between 2017 and 2019 , his wife , Ruta , was interviewed , vetted and approved to be admitted to the United States as a refugee .
Then everything came to a halt .

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration has proposed further slashing the number of refugees the United States accepts to a new record low in the coming year.
In a notice sent to Congress late Wednesday, just 34 minutes before a statutory deadline to do so, the administration said it intended to admit a maximum of 15,000 refugees in fiscal year 2021. That’s 3,000 fewer than the 18,000 ceiling the administration had set for fiscal year 2020, which expired at midnight Wednesday.
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The proposal will now be reviewed by Congress, where there are strong objections to the cuts, but lawmakers will be largely powerless to force changes.
The more than 16.5% reduction was announced shortly after President Donald Trump vilified refugees as an unwanted burden at a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota, where he assailed his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. He claimed Biden wants to flood the state with foreigners.
“Biden will turn Minnesota into a refugee camp, and he said that — overwhelming public resources, overcrowding schools and inundating hospitals. You know that. It’s already there. It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to your state,” Trump told supporters.
Trump froze refugee admissions in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, citing a need to protect American jobs as fallout from the coronavirus crashed the economy.
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration is committed to the country’s history of leading the world in providing a safe place for refugees.
“We continue to be the single greatest contributor to the relief of humanitarian crisis all around the world, and we will continue to do so,” Pompeo told reporters in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on religious freedom organized by the U.S. Embassy. “Certainly so long as President Trump is in office, I can promise you this administration is deeply committed to that.”
But advocates say the government’s actions do not show that. Since taking office, Trump has slashed the number of refugees allowed into the country by more than 80%, reflecting his broader efforts to drastically reduce both legal and illegal immigration.
The U.S. allowed in just over 10,800 refugees — a little more than half of the 18,000 cap set by Trump for 2020 — before the State Department suspended the program because of the coronavirus.
The 18,000 cap was already the lowest in the history of the program. In addition, the State Department announced last week that it would no longer provide some statistical information on refugee resettlement, sparking more concerns.
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Advocates say the Trump administration is dismantling a program that has long enjoyed bipartisan support and has been considered a model for protecting the world’s most vulnerable people.
Scores of resettlement offices have closed because of the drop in federal funding, which is tied to the number of refugees placed in the U.S.
And the damage is reverberating beyond American borders as other countries close their doors to refugees as well.
“We’re talking about tens of millions of desperate families with no place to go and having no hope for protection in the near term,” said Krish Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a federally funded agency charged with resettling refugees in the United States.
Bisrat Sibhatu, an Eritrean refugee, does not want to think about the possibility of another year passing without reuniting with his wife.
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For the past 2 1/2 years, he has called the caseworker who helped him resettle in Milwaukee every two weeks to inquire about the status of his wife’s refugee case.
The answer is always the same — nothing to report.
“My wife is always asking me: ‘Is there news?’” said Sibhatu, who talks to her daily over a messaging app. “It’s very tough. How would you feel if you were separated from your husband? It’s not easy. I don’t know what to say to her.”
He said the couple fled Eritrea’s authoritarian government and went to neighboring Ethiopia, which hosts more than 170,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers. Between 2017 and 2019, his wife, Ruta, was interviewed, vetted and approved to be admitted to the United States as a refugee. Then everything came to a halt.
Sibhatu, who works as a machine operator at a spa factory, sends her about $500 every month to cover her living expenses in Ethiopia.
“I worry about her, about her life,” Sibhatu said, noting Ethiopia’s spiraling violence and the pandemic. “But there is nothing we can do.”
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He hopes his wife will be among the refugees who make it to the United States in 2021.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--'South Park' Pandemic Special Comes Right Out And Says It This Time

“ South Park ” delivered an unexpectedly pointed message at the end of its hourlong pandemic special on Wednesday night ― and it was a message directly urging the viewers to vote .
The episode was full of the show ’ s trademark off-color humor , with jokes about everything from bestiality to police brutality .
It also took on social distancing : Put on your Chin Diaper and get ready for the west coast premiere of the # PandemicSpecial !
pic.twitter.com/pjmeOVNPKI — South Park ( @ SouthPark ) October 1 , 2020 But the big moment came during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a character made a direct plea to vote .
That character was President Donald Trump , or rather , Mr. Garrison , who has essentially morphed into Trump since 2015 .
Garrison/Trump explained how the pandemic was good for his reelection chances .
So , when a scientist said he was on the cusp of having a breakthrough , the president whipped out a flamethrower and roasted him on the spot .
“ Don ’ t forget to get out and vote , everybody !
” he said straight to viewers .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message was much more blunt than the show ’ s previous forays into presidential politics , which have tended heavily toward nihilism .
In 2016 , “ South Park ” presented the choice as one between a giant douche ( Trump ) and a turd sandwich ( Hillary Clinton ) , a callback to a 2004 episode that parodied voting for unsavory choices when the kids had to decide between the douche and turd as the school mascot .

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“South Park” delivered an unexpectedly pointed message at the end of its hourlong pandemic special on Wednesday night ― and it was a message directly urging the viewers to vote.
The episode was full of the show’s trademark off-color humor, with jokes about everything from bestiality to police brutality. It also took on social distancing:
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There were Zoom meetings and mask debates:
Put on your Chin Diaper and get ready for the west coast premiere of the #PandemicSpecial! pic.twitter.com/pjmeOVNPKI — South Park (@SouthPark) October 1, 2020
But the big moment came during the show’s final minutes, when a character made a direct plea to vote. That character was President Donald Trump, or rather, Mr. Garrison, who has essentially morphed into Trump since 2015.
Garrison/Trump explained how the pandemic was good for his reelection chances. So, when a scientist said he was on the cusp of having a breakthrough, the president whipped out a flamethrower and roasted him on the spot.
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“Don’t forget to get out and vote, everybody!” he said straight to viewers. “Big election coming up!”
The message was much more blunt than the show’s previous forays into presidential politics, which have tended heavily toward nihilism. In 2016, “South Park” presented the choice as one between a giant douche (Trump) and a turd sandwich (Hillary Clinton), a callback to a 2004 episode that parodied voting for unsavory choices when the kids had to decide between the douche and turd as the school mascot.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--‘Mentally Impaired Unicorns’: Stephen Colbert Loses It Over Undecided Voters

Stephen Colbert is losing his patience with voters who are still deciding between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden , especially after Tuesday night ’ s disastrous debate .
The “ Late Show ” host said Trump interrupted Biden 70 times during the debate , in which he again refused to directly denounce white supremacists .
Colbert also noted studies that found debates generally don ’ t shift opinion , yet there were still two more Trump-Biden contests scheduled .
“ You know what they say , the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shut up , ” he said .
But Colbert was left utterly bewildered by what he called “ mentally impaired unicorns , ” a.k.a .
undecided voters .
He showed clips of a panel of such voters who watched the debate .
At one point , the panelists were asked to describe Trump ’ s performance in a single word .
“ Crackhead ?
How dare you malign the good name of crackheads !
” Colbert shot back in mock outrage .
“ Unlike Donald Trump , crackheads have a clear policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the panelists remained undecided , even after watching the debate ― and that had Colbert wondering just what it would take to sway them : We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com

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Stephen Colbert is losing his patience with voters who are still deciding between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, especially after Tuesday night’s disastrous debate.
The “Late Show” host said Trump interrupted Biden 70 times during the debate, in which he again refused to directly denounce white supremacists.
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“The whole thing gave a new meaning to the term ‘white noise,’” Colbert cracked.
Colbert also noted studies that found debates generally don’t shift opinion, yet there were still two more Trump-Biden contests scheduled.
“You know what they say, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting Donald Trump to shut up,” he said.
But Colbert was left utterly bewildered by what he called “mentally impaired unicorns,” a.k.a. undecided voters. He showed clips of a panel of such voters who watched the debate. At one point, the panelists were asked to describe Trump’s performance in a single word.
One said “crackhead.”
“Crackhead? How dare you malign the good name of crackheads!” Colbert shot back in mock outrage. “Unlike Donald Trump, crackheads have a clear policy: Give me some crack.”
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Yet some of the panelists remained undecided, even after watching the debate ― and that had Colbert wondering just what it would take to sway them:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Trump Signs Continuing Resolution To Fund The Government Through Dec. 11

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump has signed a bill to fund the government through Dec. 11 , averting the possibility of a government shutdown when the new fiscal year starts Thursday .
Trump signed the bill , which was approved by sweeping bipartisan agreement Wednesday , into law early Thursday morning shortly after returning from campaigning in Minnesota .
The temporary extension will set the stage for a lame-duck session of Congress later this year , where the agenda will be largely determined by the outcome of the presidential election .
The measure would keep the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 84-10 vote .
The House passed the bill last week .
The stopgap spending bill is required because the GOP-controlled Senate has not acted on any of the 12 annual spending bills that fund the 30 % of the government ’ s budget that is passed by Congress each year .
If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the White House in November , it ’ s likely that another stopgap measure would fund the government into next year and that the next administration and Congress would deal with the leftover business .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Capitol Hill ’ s powerful Appropriations committees , who pride themselves on their deal-making abilities despite gridlock in other corners of Congress .
The legislation — called a continuing resolution , or CR , in Washington-speak — would keep every federal agency running at current funding levels through Dec. 11 , which will keep the government afloat past an election that could reshuffle Washington ’ s balance of power .
The measure also extends many programs whose funding or authorizations lapse on Sept. 30 , including the federal flood insurance program , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long set of extensions of various health programs , such as a provision to prevent Medicaid cuts to hospitals that serve many poor people .
It also finances the possible transition to a new administration if Biden wins the White House and would stave off an unwelcome COVID-caused increase in Medicare Part B premiums for outpatient doctor visits .
Farm interests won language that would permit Trump ’ s farm bailout to continue without fear of interruption .
In exchange , House Democrats won $ 8 billion in food aid for the poor @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a bill to fund the government through Dec. 11, averting the possibility of a government shutdown when the new fiscal year starts Thursday.
Trump signed the bill, which was approved by sweeping bipartisan agreement Wednesday, into law early Thursday morning shortly after returning from campaigning in Minnesota.
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The temporary extension will set the stage for a lame-duck session of Congress later this year, where the agenda will be largely determined by the outcome of the presidential election.
The measure would keep the government running through Dec. 11 and passed by a 84-10 vote. The House passed the bill last week.
The stopgap spending bill was approved by sweeping bipartisan agreement Wednesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The stopgap spending bill is required because the GOP-controlled Senate has not acted on any of the 12 annual spending bills that fund the 30% of the government’s budget that is passed by Congress each year. If Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the White House in November, it’s likely that another stopgap measure would fund the government into next year and that the next administration and Congress would deal with the leftover business.
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The measure is the bare minimum accomplishment for Capitol Hill’s powerful Appropriations committees, who pride themselves on their deal-making abilities despite gridlock in other corners of Congress.
The legislation — called a continuing resolution, or CR, in Washington-speak — would keep every federal agency running at current funding levels through Dec. 11, which will keep the government afloat past an election that could reshuffle Washington’s balance of power.
The measure also extends many programs whose funding or authorizations lapse on Sept. 30, including the federal flood insurance program, highway and transit programs, and a long set of extensions of various health programs, such as a provision to prevent Medicaid cuts to hospitals that serve many poor people.
It also finances the possible transition to a new administration if Biden wins the White House and would stave off an unwelcome COVID-caused increase in Medicare Part B premiums for outpatient doctor visits.
Farm interests won language that would permit Trump’s farm bailout to continue without fear of interruption. In exchange, House Democrats won $8 billion in food aid for the poor.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Chrissy Teigen Experiences Pregnancy Loss

The model and cookbook author , 34 , and her husband , John Legend , 41 , revealed in mid-August that Teigen was pregnant with her third child .
Teigen had been sharing updates about the complications in her pregnancy and was hospitalized Sunday night after she experienced excessive bleeding .
“ We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about , the kind of pain we ’ ve never felt before .
We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed , despite bags and bags of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t enough , ” she wrote in a social media post Wednesday night .
“ We never decide on our babies ’ names until the last possible moment after they ’ re born , just before we leave the hospital .
But we , for some reason , had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack .
So he will always be Jack to us .
Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family , and he will be , forever.
” She later tweeted : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no baby .
How can this be real ?
” Teigen had revealed in early September that she ’ d been advised to go on bed rest for two weeks , which later became three weeks .
After her hospitalization on Sunday , she said she was dealing with complications due to a “ weak ” placenta , which led to her excessive bleeding .
She said the following day she would undergo a second blood transfusion in the hospital .
“ Just had a really scary morning , ” she wrote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save-worthy .
The scramble to hear the heartbeat seemed like hours .
I never thought I ’ d relief sigh so much in my liiiiife.
” The couple share daughter Luna , 4 , and son Miles , 2 .
Teigen said Wednesday she ’ s “ so grateful ” for her two children and for “ all the amazing things we ’ ve been able to experience.
” “ But everyday can ’ t be full of sunshine .
On this darkest of days , we will grieve , we will cry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hug and love each other harder and get through it , ” she wrote .

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Chrissy Teigen shared tragic news on Wednesday night that she had experienced pregnancy loss.
The model and cookbook author, 34, and her husband, John Legend, 41, revealed in mid-August that Teigen was pregnant with her third child. Teigen had been sharing updates about the complications in her pregnancy and was hospitalized Sunday night after she experienced excessive bleeding.
“We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before. We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough,” she wrote in a social media post Wednesday night.
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“We never decide on our babies’ names until the last possible moment after they’re born, just before we leave the hospital. But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack. So he will always be Jack to us. Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever.”
She later tweeted: “Driving home from the hospital with no baby. How can this be real?”
Teigen had revealed in early September that she’d been advised to go on bed rest for two weeks, which later became three weeks. After her hospitalization on Sunday, she said she was dealing with complications due to a “weak” placenta, which led to her excessive bleeding. She said the following day she would undergo a second blood transfusion in the hospital.
“Just had a really scary morning,” she wrote on Tuesday, “Huge clot, almost save-worthy. The scramble to hear the heartbeat seemed like hours. I never thought I’d relief sigh so much in my liiiiife.”
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The couple share daughter Luna, 4, and son Miles, 2. Teigen said Wednesday she’s “so grateful” for her two children and for “all the amazing things we’ve been able to experience.”
“But everyday can’t be full of sunshine. On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it,” she wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--Trump's COVID Risk Factors Make Him Vulnerable

LONDON/FRANKFURT , Oct 2 ( Reuters ) - U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s gender , age and weight are all factors that make him more vulnerable to developing severe COVID-19 , and give him a notional risk of around 4 % of dying from it , health experts said on Friday .
The probability is hard to assess precisely , however , since factors such as overall fitness and activity levels , pre-existing conditions and recent medical research can all make a significant difference .
A working paper by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research published in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 79-year-old ’ s risk of dying from COVID-19 at 4.6 % , regardless of gender .
David Spiegelhalter , a professor of risk and an expert in statistics at Britain ’ s Cambridge University , cited a COVID-19 survival calculator that put the mortality rate for an otherwise healthy 74-year-old white man with COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic in Britain earlier this year at 3 % to 4 % .
That risk would now “ presumably be somewhat less , ” he said , as doctors around the world have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Head , a global health professor at Britain ’ s University of Southampton , said that “ the president ’ s profile would classify him as vulnerable .
He is aged 74 , and reportedly overweight.
” Information provided by a White House physician in June puts the 74-year-old president in the obese category , which triples his risk of needing hospital treatment , according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) released in August .
Even for otherwise healthy 65- to 74-year-olds infected with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times higher than for those aged 18-29 , according to the CDC data .
Julian Tang , an expert in respiratory sciences at Leicester University , said that , apart from age and obesity , “ other existing medical conditions like diabetes , hypertension , other chronic heart and lung disease can lead to serious COVID-19 disease.
” But Naveed Sattar , a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow , noted that Trump has no reported chronic conditions and is reasonably active - he plays golf frequently and appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the risks .
The CDC data also do not take into account the state-of-the-art care that the president is likely to receive , although medical experts warned Trump ’ s doctors not to be tempted to treat him differently from any similar patient .
“ I would advise them : Do not deviate from your standard protocol - because that ’ s when mistakes happen and you ’ re starting to experiment , ” said Bharat Pankhania , senior clinical lecturer at Britain ’ s University of Exeter Medical School .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to experiment , just because he happens to be the president.
” A number of possible COVID-19 treatment approaches are currently being tested in late-stage trials , including manufactured antibodies designed to stop the coronavirus from invading cells .
“ The usual thing that we need to act on , if required , is oxygen , ” he said .
“ And if a patient needs oxygen support , there may also be some benefit from giving the steroid dexamethasone .
”

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LONDON/FRANKFURT, Oct 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s gender, age and weight are all factors that make him more vulnerable to developing severe COVID-19, and give him a notional risk of around 4% of dying from it, health experts said on Friday.
The probability is hard to assess precisely, however, since factors such as overall fitness and activity levels, pre-existing conditions and recent medical research can all make a significant difference.
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A working paper by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research published in July put an infected but otherwise healthy 70- to 79-year-old’s risk of dying from COVID-19 at 4.6%, regardless of gender.
David Spiegelhalter, a professor of risk and an expert in statistics at Britain’s Cambridge University, cited a COVID-19 survival calculator that put the mortality rate for an otherwise healthy 74-year-old white man with COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic in Britain earlier this year at 3% to 4%.
That risk would now “presumably be somewhat less,” he said, as doctors around the world have gained experience in treating the disease.
Michael Head, a global health professor at Britain’s University of Southampton, said that “the president’s profile would classify him as vulnerable. He is aged 74, and reportedly overweight.”
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Information provided by a White House physician in June puts the 74-year-old president in the obese category, which triples his risk of needing hospital treatment, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released in August.
GOLF AND WALKING
Even for otherwise healthy 65- to 74-year-olds infected with coronavirus, the mortality risk is 90 times higher than for those aged 18-29, according to the CDC data.
Julian Tang, an expert in respiratory sciences at Leicester University, said that, apart from age and obesity, “other existing medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, other chronic heart and lung disease can lead to serious COVID-19 disease.”
But Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, noted that Trump has no reported chronic conditions and is reasonably active - he plays golf frequently and appears to walk briskly - which may offset some of the risks.
The CDC data also do not take into account the state-of-the-art care that the president is likely to receive, although medical experts warned Trump’s doctors not to be tempted to treat him differently from any similar patient.
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“I would advise them: Do not deviate from your standard protocol - because that’s when mistakes happen and you’re starting to experiment,” said Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at Britain’s University of Exeter Medical School.
“This is not a time or place to experiment, just because he happens to be the president.”
A number of possible COVID-19 treatment approaches are currently being tested in late-stage trials, including manufactured antibodies designed to stop the coronavirus from invading cells.
Pankhania said the standard protocol would be to “monitor, and act if required.”
“The usual thing that we need to act on, if required, is oxygen,” he said. “And if a patient needs oxygen support, there may also be some benefit from giving the steroid dexamethasone.”
The generic anti-inflammatory drug and Gilead’s anti-viral remdesivir are the only drug therapies approved for treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
(Reporting by Kate Kelland in London and Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt; editing by Josephine Mason and Kevin Liffey)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--How Mike Pence Could Temporarily Assume Control If Trump Becomes Incapacitated

Oct 2 ( Reuters ) - Like two U.S. presidents before him , Donald Trump could temporarily hand over power to his vice president should he become incapacitated , for example while undergoing a medical procedure as treatment for the coronavirus .
Trump said on Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was going into quarantine to begin the recovery process immediately .
Under Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution ’ s 25th Amendment , adopted in 1967 following the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy , Trump could declare in writing his inability to discharge his duties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting president , although Trump would remain in office .
The president would regain his powers by declaring in writing that he is again ready to discharge them .
The 25th Amendment ’ s Section 4 also offers a path to stripping a president of power if , for instance , his Cabinet believes he has become incapacitated , but this has never been invoked .
- On July 13 , 1985 , President Ronald Reagan elected to have a precancerous lesion removed after it was discovered during a colonoscopy .
He signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invoking Section 3 , said he was mindful of its provisions .
Vice President George H.W .
Bush was acting president for nearly eight hours , from 11:28 a.m. until 7:22 p.m. , when Reagan issued a letter declaring himself able to resume his duties .
- On June 29 , 2002 , President George W. Bush invoked Section 3 , temporarily transferring his powers to Vice President Dick Cheney before undergoing a colonoscopy .
Cheney was acting president from 7:09 a.m. to 9:24 a.m. - On July 21 , 2007 , Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cheney was acting president from 7:16 a.m. to 9:21 a.m .
Under Section 4 , the vice president and a majority of either Cabinet officials or “ such other body as Congress may by law provide ” can inform leaders in the two houses of Congress that the president “ is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office ” .
In such a case , the vice president takes over as acting president .
The president resumes office after informing the same two congressional leaders “ that no inability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other body declare otherwise .
Congress then must assemble within 48 hours to decide the issue .
If two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate vote in their respective chambers that the president is unable to discharge the duties of office , the vice president remains acting president until after the next scheduled presidential election decides the next White House occupant .
Otherwise , the president resumes office .
( Editing by Howard Goller )

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Oct 2 (Reuters) - Like two U.S. presidents before him, Donald Trump could temporarily hand over power to his vice president should he become incapacitated, for example while undergoing a medical procedure as treatment for the coronavirus.
Trump said on Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was going into quarantine to begin the recovery process immediately.
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Under Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution’s 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967 following the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy, Trump could declare in writing his inability to discharge his duties.
Vice President Mike Pence would become acting president, although Trump would remain in office. The president would regain his powers by declaring in writing that he is again ready to discharge them.
The 25th Amendment’s Section 4 also offers a path to stripping a president of power if, for instance, his Cabinet believes he has become incapacitated, but this has never been invoked.
Section 3 Precedents
- On July 13, 1985, President Ronald Reagan elected to have a precancerous lesion removed after it was discovered during a colonoscopy. He signed a letter that, while not specifically invoking Section 3, said he was mindful of its provisions. Vice President George H.W. Bush was acting president for nearly eight hours, from 11:28 a.m. until 7:22 p.m., when Reagan issued a letter declaring himself able to resume his duties.
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- On June 29, 2002, President George W. Bush invoked Section 3, temporarily transferring his powers to Vice President Dick Cheney before undergoing a colonoscopy. Cheney was acting president from 7:09 a.m. to 9:24 a.m.
- On July 21, 2007, Bush again invoked Section 3 before another colonoscopy. Cheney was acting president from 7:16 a.m. to 9:21 a.m.
Section 4
Under Section 4, the vice president and a majority of either Cabinet officials or “such other body as Congress may by law provide” can inform leaders in the two houses of Congress that the president “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office”.
In such a case, the vice president takes over as acting president. The president resumes office after informing the same two congressional leaders “that no inability exists” unless the Cabinet officials or other body declare otherwise. Congress then must assemble within 48 hours to decide the issue.
If two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate vote in their respective chambers that the president is unable to discharge the duties of office, the vice president remains acting president until after the next scheduled presidential election decides the next White House occupant. Otherwise, the president resumes office. (Editing by Howard Goller)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--MyPillow Guy Mike Lindell Shouts Out Unproven COVID-19 'Cure' To Trump

Lindell , who thanked God that Trump got elected in a White House speech back in March , promoted oleandrin @ @ @ @ @ with Trump in July .
There ’ s no public data that oleandrin , an @ @ @ @ @ plant , has ever been tested in humans or animals against COVID-19 .
The businessman @ @ @ @ @ potential customers behind a mirror in one of his MyPillow ads , is on the @ @ @ @ @ Biotechnology .
“ How do you sleep at night ?
” Cooper asked Lindell on @ @ @ @ @ said Trump expressed enthusiasm for oleandrin during their July meeting .
The president told CBS @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ll look at it.
” But unlike hydroxychloroquine , an unproven malaria drug @ @ @ @ @ and Drug Administration into approving as a coronavirus treatment , Trump hasn ’ t publicly @ @ @

Lindell, who thanked God that Trump got elected in a White House speech back in March, promoted oleandrin during a White House meeting with Trump in July. There’s no public data that oleandrin, an extract from the toxic oleander plant, has ever been tested in humans or animals against COVID-19.
The businessman, who talks to sleepless potential customers behind a mirror in one of his MyPillow ads, is on the board of oleandrin developer Phoenix Biotechnology.
“How do you sleep at night?” Cooper asked Lindell on CNN in August.
Lindell said Trump expressed enthusiasm for oleandrin during their July meeting. The president told CBS News in August: “We’ll look at it.”
But unlike hydroxychloroquine, an unproven malaria drug the president pressured the Food and Drug Administration into approving as a coronavirus treatment, Trump hasn’t publicly touted oleandrin.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--Trump Joins Growing List Of World Leaders Who've Contracted COVID-19

JOHANNESBURG ( AP ) — President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus , joining a small group of world leaders who have been infected .
Trump is 74 , putting him at higher risk of serious complications .
Here ’ s a look at other leaders who have had the virus .
The British prime minister was the first major world leader confirmed to have COVID-19 .
He was moved to intensive care in April after his symptoms dramatically worsened a day after he was hospitalized for what were called routine tests .
He was given oxygen but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
He later expressed his gratitude to National Health Service staff for saving his life when his treatment could have “ gone either way.
” The Brazilian president announced his illness in July and used it to publicly extol hydroxychloroquine , the unproven malaria drug that he ’ d been promoting as a treatment for COVID-19 and was taking himself .
For months he had flirted with the virus as he flouted social distancing at lively demonstrations and encouraged crowds during outings from the presidential residence , often without a mask .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had tested positive , along with two other people who worked closely with him .
Hernández said he had started what he called the “ MAIZ treatment , ” an experimental and unproven combination of microdacyn , azithromycin , ivermectin and zinc .
He was briefly hospitalized and released .
He has added his voice to growing pleas for equitable access to any COVID-19 vaccine , asking the recent U.N. gathering of world leaders , “ Are people to be left to die ?
” The president of Belarus , who dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and recommended drinking vodka to stay healthy , said in July he had contracted it himself but was asymptomatic .
Belarus is one of the few countries that took no comprehensive measures against the virus .
Other top officials in former Soviet states who were infected include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
The Guatemalan president said he tested positive for the virus in September .
“ My symptoms are very mild .
Up to now , I have body aches , it hurt more yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said during a televised address .
“ I don ’ t have a fever , I have a bit of a cough.
” He said he ’ d be working from home .
The newly elected president of the Dominican Republic contracted and recovered from COVID-19 during his campaign .
He spent weeks in isolation before the country ’ s July election .
Iran , the epicenter of the Mideast ’ s initial coronavirus outbreak , has seen several top officials test positive .
Among them are senior Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cabinet members have tested positive , too .
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu , 71 , recently tested positive but his office said he had no symptoms and was quarantined at home .
Home Minister Amit Shah , the No .
2 man in Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s government , was hospitalized for COVID-19 last month and has recovered .
Junior Railways Minister Suresh Angadi last week was the first federal minister to die from COVID-19 .
Israel ’ s then-Health Minister Yaakov Litzman tested positive in April and recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ultra-Orthodox community , which has seen a high rate of infection as many have defied restrictions on religious gatherings .
The minister for Jerusalem affairs , Rafi Peretz , tested positive over the summer as cases surged nationwide and recovered .

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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus, joining a small group of world leaders who have been infected. Trump is 74, putting him at higher risk of serious complications. Here’s a look at other leaders who have had the virus.
BORIS JOHNSON
The British prime minister was the first major world leader confirmed to have COVID-19. He was moved to intensive care in April after his symptoms dramatically worsened a day after he was hospitalized for what were called routine tests. He was given oxygen but did not need a ventilator, officials said. He later expressed his gratitude to National Health Service staff for saving his life when his treatment could have “gone either way.”
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JAIR BOLSONARO
The Brazilian president announced his illness in July and used it to publicly extol hydroxychloroquine, the unproven malaria drug that he’d been promoting as a treatment for COVID-19 and was taking himself. For months he had flirted with the virus as he flouted social distancing at lively demonstrations and encouraged crowds during outings from the presidential residence, often without a mask.
JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ
The Honduras president announced in June that he had tested positive, along with two other people who worked closely with him. Hernández said he had started what he called the “MAIZ treatment,” an experimental and unproven combination of microdacyn, azithromycin, ivermectin and zinc. He was briefly hospitalized and released. He has added his voice to growing pleas for equitable access to any COVID-19 vaccine, asking the recent U.N. gathering of world leaders, “Are people to be left to die?”
ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO
The president of Belarus, who dismissed concerns about the virus as “psychosis” and recommended drinking vodka to stay healthy, said in July he had contracted it himself but was asymptomatic. Belarus is one of the few countries that took no comprehensive measures against the virus. Other top officials in former Soviet states who were infected include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
ALEJANDRO GIAMMATTEI
The Guatemalan president said he tested positive for the virus in September. “My symptoms are very mild. Up to now, I have body aches, it hurt more yesterday than today, like a bad cold,” he said during a televised address. “I don’t have a fever, I have a bit of a cough.” He said he’d be working from home.
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JEANINE ANEZ
The virus drove the Bolivian interim president into isolation in July, but she said she was feeling well.
LUIS ABINADER
The newly elected president of the Dominican Republic contracted and recovered from COVID-19 during his campaign. He spent weeks in isolation before the country’s July election.
IRANIAN LEADERS
Iran, the epicenter of the Mideast’s initial coronavirus outbreak, has seen several top officials test positive. Among them are senior Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Vice President Massoumeh Ebtekar. Cabinet members have tested positive, too.
INDIAN LEADERS
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, 71, recently tested positive but his office said he had no symptoms and was quarantined at home. Home Minister Amit Shah, the No. 2 man in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, was hospitalized for COVID-19 last month and has recovered. Junior Railways Minister Suresh Angadi last week was the first federal minister to die from COVID-19.
ISRAELI LEADERS
Israel’s then-Health Minister Yaakov Litzman tested positive in April and recovered. Litzman is a leader in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, which has seen a high rate of infection as many have defied restrictions on religious gatherings. The minister for Jerusalem affairs, Rafi Peretz, tested positive over the summer as cases surged nationwide and recovered.
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SOUTH AFRICAN LEADERS
The country’s mineral resources and energy minister, Gwede Mantashe, and Labor Minister Thulas Nxesi were infected as cases surged in June and July.
SOUTH SUDANESE LEADERS
Vice President Riek Machar was among several Cabinet ministers infected.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Trump Begins 'Quarantine Process' After Hope Hicks Gets COVID-19

Trump ’ s comments came after he confirmed that Hope Hicks , one his closest aides , had tested positive for the virus Thursday .
Hicks began feeling mild symptoms during the plane ride home from a rally in Minnesota Wednesday evening , according to an administration official , who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private information .
She was quarantined away from others on the plane and her diagnosis was confirmed Thursday , the person said .
Earlier , during a call-in interview with Fox News Channel ’ s Sean Hannity , Trump said : “ Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I don ’ t know .
I just went for a test and we ’ ll see what happens.
” Hicks , who serves as counselor to Trump , also traveled with Trump to the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday .
She is the closest White House official to Trump to test positive for the virus so far .
The positive test is yet another reminder that the coronavirus continues to spread , even as Trump has tried desperately to suggest it no longer poses a danger .
Since it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House and his campaign have played down the threat and refused to abide by basic public health guidelines — including those issued by his own administration — such as wearing masks in public and practicing social distancing .
Instead , Trump has continued to hold campaign rallies that draw thousands of supporters .
The virus has killed more than 200,000 Americans and infected more than 7 million nationwide .
The White House had not responded earlier to multiple questions about the last time Trump was tested and whether he and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent days will be asked to quarantine .
Trump traveled to New Jersey Thursday for a fundraiser and the White House sent out a schedule for Friday that includes an intelligence briefing , a phone call on COVID-19 support for “ vulnerable seniors , ” a fundraiser at his Washington , D.C. , hotel and another rally in Sanford , Florida .
Trump is 74 years old , putting him at higher risk of serious complications from the virus .
He said he expected to have the results back either Thursday night or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House spokesman Judd Deere said the president “ takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously.
” “ White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling , ” Deere said .
Hicks traveled with the president multiple times this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential helicopter , and on Air Force One to a rally in Minnesota Wednesday , and aboard Air Force One to Tuesday night ’ s first presidential debate in Cleveland .
Hicks is one of the president ’ s most trusted and longest-serving aides , having worked as spokesperson for his 2016 campaign .
She originally served as White House as communications director , and re-joined the administration this year as an adviser ahead of the election .
Her positive test was first reported by Bloomberg News on Thursday evening .
She did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After earlier positive cases close to the president , the White House instituted a daily testing regimen for the president ’ s senior aides .
Anyone who will be in close proximity to the president or vice president is also tested every day , including reporters .
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 quarantine for 14 days , White House staffers are considered essential workers .
CDC ’ s guidelines for exposed essential workers allows them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including taking their temperature before going into work , wearing a mask at all times and practicing social distancing .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he and first lady Melania Trump are beginning a “quarantine process” as they await coronavirus test results after a top aide he spent substantial time with this week tested positive for COVID-19.
Trump’s comments came after he confirmed that Hope Hicks, one his closest aides, had tested positive for the virus Thursday. Hicks began feeling mild symptoms during the plane ride home from a rally in Minnesota Wednesday evening, according to an administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private information. She was quarantined away from others on the plane and her diagnosis was confirmed Thursday, the person said.
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Trump tweeted late Thursday: “The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process.”
Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Earlier, during a call-in interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, Trump said: “Whether we quarantine or whether we have it, I don’t know. I just went for a test and we’ll see what happens.”
Hicks, who serves as counselor to Trump, also traveled with Trump to the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday. She is the closest White House official to Trump to test positive for the virus so far.
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The positive test is yet another reminder that the coronavirus continues to spread, even as Trump has tried desperately to suggest it no longer poses a danger. Since it emerged earlier this year, Trump, the White House and his campaign have played down the threat and refused to abide by basic public health guidelines — including those issued by his own administration — such as wearing masks in public and practicing social distancing. Instead, Trump has continued to hold campaign rallies that draw thousands of supporters. The virus has killed more than 200,000 Americans and infected more than 7 million nationwide.
The White House had not responded earlier to multiple questions about the last time Trump was tested and whether he and other staffers who spent time with Hicks in recent days will be asked to quarantine.
Trump traveled to New Jersey Thursday for a fundraiser and the White House sent out a schedule for Friday that includes an intelligence briefing, a phone call on COVID-19 support for “vulnerable seniors,” a fundraiser at his Washington, D.C., hotel and another rally in Sanford, Florida.
Trump is 74 years old, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from the virus. He said he expected to have the results back either Thursday night or Friday morning.
In a statement, White House spokesman Judd Deere said the president “takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously.”
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“White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling,” Deere said.
Hicks traveled with the president multiple times this week, including aboard Marine One, the presidential helicopter, and on Air Force One to a rally in Minnesota Wednesday, and aboard Air Force One to Tuesday night’s first presidential debate in Cleveland.
Hicks is one of the president’s most trusted and longest-serving aides, having worked as spokesperson for his 2016 campaign. She originally served as White House as communications director, and re-joined the administration this year as an adviser ahead of the election. Her positive test was first reported by Bloomberg News on Thursday evening. She did not respond to a request for comment.
Multiple White House staffers have tested positive for the virus, including Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and one of the president’s personal valets. Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before an Independence Day fireworks show at Mount Rushmore.
Still, Trump has consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. “I felt no vulnerability whatsoever,” he told reporters back in May.
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After earlier positive cases close to the president, the White House instituted a daily testing regimen for the president’s senior aides. Anyone who will be in close proximity to the president or vice president is also tested every day, including reporters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Hope Hicks Tests Positive For Coronavirus After Traveling With Trump

Hope Hicks , a counselor and senior adviser to President Donald Trump , has tested positive for COVID-19 , the president said Thursday night .
Hicks , one of Trump ’ s closest and most trusted aides , traveled on Air Force One with the president to Cleveland for Tuesday ’ s presidential debate and to Minnesota for a rally on Wednesday , Bloomberg said .
She was photographed leaving Air Force One in Cleveland while not wearing a mask .
Trump told Fox News on Thursday night that he and first lady Melania Trump were tested for the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He later announced in a tweet that he and the first lady had tested positive for the disease and were quarantining .
The White House canceled Trump ’ s travel plans but said he would continue with his duties .
People close to Hicks told Bloomberg that she was experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus .
It ’ s unclear , however , what those symptoms were and for how long she ’ d been experiencing them .
White House officials have known since at least Wednesday evening that she had tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A White House spokesperson did not confirm Hicks ’ s positive test when asked , saying only that Trump “ takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously.
” “ White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Hicks , a former model and public relations consultant who previously worked for the Trump Organization , returned to the White House as Trump ’ s counselor in February after resigning in March 2018 from her role as White House communications director .
Several White House employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began , including national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien , Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary Katie Miller and one of Trump ’ s personal valets .

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Hope Hicks, a counselor and senior adviser to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19, the president said Thursday night.
Hicks, one of Trump’s closest and most trusted aides, traveled on Air Force One with the president to Cleveland for Tuesday’s presidential debate and to Minnesota for a rally on Wednesday, Bloomberg said. She was photographed leaving Air Force One in Cleveland while not wearing a mask.
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Close Trump aide Hope Hicks traveled aboard Air Force One Tuesday. Here she is deplaning in Cleveland, without a mask. pic.twitter.com/pyegkSxChI — Monica Alba (@albamonica) October 2, 2020
Trump told Fox News on Thursday night that he and first lady Melania Trump were tested for the coronavirus in response to Hicks’s infection. He later announced in a tweet that he and the first lady had tested positive for the disease and were quarantining. The White House canceled Trump’s travel plans but said he would continue with his duties.
People close to Hicks told Bloomberg that she was experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus. It’s unclear, however, what those symptoms were and for how long she’d been experiencing them.
White House officials have known since at least Wednesday evening that she had tested positive for the virus, the New York Times reported.
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A White House spokesperson did not confirm Hicks’s positive test when asked, saying only that Trump “takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously.”
“White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling,” White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said.
Hicks, a former model and public relations consultant who previously worked for the Trump Organization, returned to the White House as Trump’s counselor in February after resigning in March 2018 from her role as White House communications director.
Several White House employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including national security adviser Robert O’Brien, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller and one of Trump’s personal valets.
This story has been updated with the Trumps’ diagnosis.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--Donald Trump, Melania Trump Test Positive For The Coronavirus

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus just days after one of his closest advisers who also had COVID-19 traveled with him aboard Air Force One .
“ The President and First Lady are both well at this time , and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence , ” Conley stated .
Trump canceled his plans to travel to a rally in Florida on Friday but kept a midday phone call with “ vulnerable seniors ” about COVID-19 support on his schedule .
Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to an assessment in June by the White House physician , faces an increased risk of severe illness from the coronavirus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long warned that older adults and those with a body mass index of 30 or above are at increased risk of hospitalization and possibly the need for intensive care should they become infected .
Hope Hicks , a counselor and senior adviser to the president , tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling with Trump on Tuesday for his first presidential debate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Hicks told Bloomberg News that she was experiencing symptoms of the virus .
She was photographed not wearing a mask as she arrived at the airport in Cleveland for the debate .
Trump ’ s infection comes after many of his family members attended the debate in Ohio without wearing masks , even after a Cleveland Clinic doctor asked barefaced members of the audience to put them on .
At the debate , Trump also mocked Biden ’ s wearing of masks at campaign events while falsely claiming there had been “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his large campaign rallies in recent weeks .
( After a June 20 rally in Oklahoma , health officials cited it as the “ likely ” source of a surge in local cases . )
“ He could be speaking 200 feet away and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen , ” Trump said of Biden ’ s use of face coverings and his decision not to hold large in-person campaign events .
As too many Americans have done this year , @ potus & I are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements .
Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together .
— Melania Trump ( @ FLOTUS ) October 2 , 2020 The president ’ s infection comes amid his ongoing efforts to declare that the nation has largely moved past the worst threats of the pandemic and could reopen large swaths of the economy , a positive election season message that health experts have warned could not be further from reality .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now died of the coronavirus , and more than 7.3 million have been infected .
Cases remain high or are rising in more than a dozen states even after an economically devastating shutdown period in nearly every corner of the country .

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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, just days after one of his closest advisers who also had COVID-19 traveled with him aboard Air Force One.
Trump announced the diagnosis in a tweet early Friday morning:
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
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On Friday afternoon, Dr. Sean Conley, physician to the president, said in a memo that Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits.” Later, CNN and the New York Times each reported that Trump had been battling a low-grade fever throughout the day.
The president has been given “polyclonal antibodies,” and has taken famotidine, melatonin and aspirin.
Melania Trump had a “mild cough and headache,” per Conley, and the rest of the family tested negative for the virus on Friday.
When Conley confirmed Trump’s diagnosis, he claimed Trump would continue to “carry out his duties without disruption while recovering.”
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But by Friday afternoon, the Trump campaign announced that “all previously announced campaign events involving the President’s participation are in the process of being moved to virtual events or are being temporarily postponed.”
Trump canceled his plans to travel to a rally in Florida on Friday. He initially kept a midday phone call with “vulnerable seniors” about COVID-19 support on his schedule. But Vice President Mike Pence, who tested negative Friday morning, joined the call instead.
Trump, who is 74 and is considered obese, according to an assessment in June by the White House physician, faces an increased risk of severe illness from the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long warned that older adults and those with a body mass index of 30 or above are at increased risk of hospitalization and possibly the need for intensive care should they become infected.
Hope Hicks, a counselor and senior adviser to the president, tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling with Trump on Tuesday for his first presidential debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden.
People close to Hicks told Bloomberg News that she was experiencing symptoms of the virus. She was photographed not wearing a mask as she arrived at the airport in Cleveland for the debate.
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Trump’s infection comes after many of his family members attended the debate in Ohio without wearing masks, even after a Cleveland Clinic doctor asked barefaced members of the audience to put them on.
At the debate, Trump also mocked Biden’s wearing of masks at campaign events while falsely claiming there had been “no negative effect” from any of his large campaign rallies in recent weeks. (After a June 20 rally in Oklahoma, health officials cited it as the “likely” source of a surge in local cases.)
“He could be speaking 200 feet away and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen,” Trump said of Biden’s use of face coverings and his decision not to hold large in-person campaign events.
Pence tweeted that he and his wife, Karen, send their “love and prayers” to the Trumps.
Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump. We join millions across America praying for their full and swift recovery. God bless you President Trump & our wonderful First Lady Melania. — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) October 2, 2020
CNN reported that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump both tested negative for COVID-19 Friday morning. Barron Trump, the president’s teenage son who lives with his parents at the White House, has also tested negative, according to the AP.
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Judge Amy Coney Barrett tested negative, according to a White House spokesman who said she hasn’t been with Trump since Saturday, when he nominated her for the Supreme Court in a Rose Garden ceremony. Barrett reportedly has already contracted and recovered from the coronavirus.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who was last with Trump a week ago, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
The president’s infection comes amid his ongoing efforts to declare that the nation has largely moved past the worst threats of the pandemic and could reopen large swaths of the economy, a positive election season message that health experts have warned could not be further from reality.
More than 207,000 people in the U.S. have now died of the coronavirus, and more than 7.3 million have been infected. Cases remain high or are rising in more than a dozen states even after an economically devastating shutdown period in nearly every corner of the country.
Marina Fang, Liza Hearon, Jade Walker and Sarah Ruiz-Grossman contributed to this article.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--Carl Bernstein Warns That Trump's COVID-19 Diagnosis Creates National Security Threat

“ We are now in the midst of a national security crisis , ” Bernstein said .
“ We have @ @ @ @ @ , particularly Russia , taking advantage of this situation for its own purposes .
We @ @ @ @ @ cyber-manipulation of the markets .
We ’ ve talked about the markets , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ a huge effect .
We don ’ t know the future of this election campaign @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s health .
We don ’ t know what his health is going @ @ @ @ @ s going to totally upend the election campaign .
So every aspect of our national @ @ @ @ @ stability , is now affected in waves that we could never have envisioned a day @ @ @ @ @ we need to start from that perspective .
”

“We are now in the midst of a national security crisis,” Bernstein said. “We have to be concerned about adversaries, particularly Russia, taking advantage of this situation for its own purposes. We have to think about possible cyber-manipulation of the markets. We’ve talked about the markets, it’s obviously going to have a huge effect. We don’t know the future of this election campaign, which depends on the president’s health. We don’t know what his health is going to be. It’s going to totally upend the election campaign. So every aspect of our national life, in terms of stability, is now affected in waves that we could never have envisioned a day ago. And I think we need to start from that perspective.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--The Trumps Have Coronavirus. What Happens Next?

Who takes over if Trump is too ill to work ?
The Trumps have some of the best healthcare in the U.S. available to them , but the president – who is 74 – is still at a higher risk of severe illness than most due to his age , according to the Centres of Disease and Control ( CDC ) guidelines .
What does this mean for the election ?
How has the world reacted ?
“ This is a president who has always downplayed the virus , acted – as you ’ ve seen in those rally pictures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t exist and this is bound to make people in the United States wonder about the quality of the leadership they ’ ve been offered over the last six months , ” Mark Drakeford told Sky News .
What have the Trumps said ?
Who else in the White House has tested positive ?
He added : “ They come over to you and they want to hug you and they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them and you get close and things @ @ @

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The president has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the coronavirus, even as more than 200,000 Americans have died, but experts have warned that at 74 he is already at a higher risk of falling seriously ill.
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Here’s what we know so far:
Who takes over if Trump is too ill to work?
The Trumps have some of the best health care in the U.S. available to them, but the president is still at a higher risk of severe illness than most due to his age, according to Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention guidelines.
The organization says people aged 65 to 74 have a five times higher risk of hospital admission with coronavirus compared with those aged 18 to 29, and a 90% higher risk of death.
If Trump became too ill to work, Vice President Mike Pence would then take charge.
With a number of cases of COVID-19 reported within the White House, it is feasible that Pence could also test positive. If he did contract the virus and was incapacitated, the speaker of the House — Democrat Nancy Pelosi — would take over.
What does this mean for the election?
Trump has held large, often maskless, events throughout the pandemic in the leadup to the presidential election and has repeatedly sought to downplay the virus.
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The president has been fiercely criticized for these gatherings, which have attracted thousands of people and gone against health guidelines followed worldwide.
But Trump is now self-isolating after testing positive for the virus. The future of his planned rallies remains uncertain, but the president is unlikely to be able to attend events in Wisconsin, Florida and Arizona, the Express reported.
It is also unclear whether Trump’s positive test will prevent him from attending the second presidential debate, set to take place on Oct. 15 in Miami.
With the election itself just 32 days away, Trump’s positive diagnosis raises huge questions around how the event will play out.
How has the world reacted?
Global markets dropped in the wake of the announcement of Trump’s positive test, with U.S. shares and oil prices sinking in Asia trading hours.
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The news broke early Friday morning, and as of writing, most world leaders had not yet responded publicly to the news.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has recovered from COVID-19 after falling seriously ill, tweeted: “My best wishes to president Trump and the first lady. Hope they both have a speedy recovery from coronavirus.”
My best wishes to President Trump and the First Lady. Hope they both have a speedy recovery from coronavirus. — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 2, 2020
Vice President Mike Pence was one of the first to react to the news, tweeting: “Karen [second lady of the United States] and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends president @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump. We join millions across America praying for their full and swift recovery. God bless you president Trump & our wonderful first lady Melania.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Wishing my friend @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS a quick recovery and good health.”
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U.K. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Times Radio that the Trumps’ diagnosis is a reminder that everyone is susceptible to the disease and urged the public to follow the rules.
Meanwhile, Wales’ first minister said he believes there will be “political ramifications” following Trump’s positive test.
“This is a president who has always downplayed the virus, acted — as you’ve seen in those rally pictures you were showing — as though it didn’t exist and this is bound to make people in the United States wonder about the quality of the leadership they’ve been offered over the last six months,” Mark Drakeford told Sky News.
He said that “on a personal level” he hoped Trump and the first lady would “sail through” the virus.
“But I think it will bring a whole series of questions to the fore which the president has tried to sideline during this election campaign,” Drakeford said. “He’s not wanted to talk about coronavirus despite the 200,000 people who have died in the United States. So I think the political ramifications will be real, however his own condition develops.”
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What have the Trumps said?
The president announced his diagnosis on Twitter early Friday morning, writing: “Tonight @FLOTUS and I tested positive for Covid-19. We will begin or quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
The first lady later also tweeted, confirming that both she and the president had tested positive as had “too many Americans ... this year.”
She added: “We are feeling good and I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe and we will all get through this together.”
As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together. — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2020
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None of Trump’s four adult children, all of whom attended the presidential debate on Tuesday but refused to wear masks, have publicly responded to the news.
Who else in the White House has tested positive?
The Trumps are not the first in the White House to test positive for COVID-19 — they themselves took tests after one of the president’s closest aides, Hope Hicks, was confirmed to have contracted the virus.
While waiting for the results of his test following Hicks’ diagnosis, Trump said he had found it difficult to socially distance while meeting members of the armed forces.
“It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers, when you’re with airmen, when you’re with the marines, and with the police officers, I’m with them so much,” he told Fox News. “And when they come over to you it’s very hard to say ‘stay back, stay back,’ you know, it’s a tough kind of a situation, it’s a terrible thing.”
“They come over to you and they want to hug you and they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them and you get close and things happen,” he added.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Fox News Quietly Paid Kimberly Guilfoyle Accuser Over Sexual Misconduct Claims: Report

A young woman , who was one of Guilfoyle ’ s assistants at Fox News , sent company executives a 42-page confidential draft complaint in 2018 that accused Guilfoyle of repeated sexual harassment , according to a New Yorker article published Thursday .
Jane Mayer , who wrote the article , reported in March 2019 that Fox News secretly paid an undisclosed sum to the assistant , who no longer works at the network .
Mayer now says that Fox agreed to pay the woman about $ 4 million to avoid going to trial over a lawsuit .
Guilfoyle was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francisco before becoming co-host of the political talk show “ The Five ” on Fox News .
The network forced her out mid-contract in July 2018 , and she now serves as President Donald Trump ’ s campaign finance chair while dating Donald Trump Jr. HuffPost first reported in 2018 that Guilfoyle ’ s departure from the network was not voluntary and that sources said she was terminated following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior , such as sexual misconduct .
Six sources said that Guilfoyle would show colleagues personal photographs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genitals they were ) , regularly discussed sexual matters at work and would be emotionally abusive toward hair and makeup artists and support staff .
Guilfoyle has maintained that her decision to move from television news to a political campaign was voluntary and that the allegations about her behavior were false .
She later threatened HuffPost and other media companies with potential legal action following reports about the sexual harassment claims .
Mayer ’ s article detailing the former assistant ’ s draft complaint corroborates HuffPost ’ s earlier reporting , including that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , abusive and sexually inappropriate behaviors , such as being shown lewd photographs of men with whom Guilfoyle had sexual relations .
Other instances Mayer cites from the draft complaint are that the assistant was required to work at Guilfoyle ’ s New York apartment while the network host walked around naked , was forced to listen to Guilfoyle speak incessantly about her sex life , was ordered to give Guilfoyle a thigh massage and was told to submit to a Fox employee ’ s sexual demands .
The Trump surrogate declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Yorker that she has “ never engaged in any workplace misconduct of any kind.
” The former assistant has not been publicly identified , and the draft complaint , which was never filed in court , is allegedly covered by a nondisclosure agreement .

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Fox News reportedly agreed to quietly pay upward of $4 million to a woman who accused former network host Kimberly Guilfoyle of sexual harassment.
A young woman, who was one of Guilfoyle’s assistants at Fox News, sent company executives a 42-page confidential draft complaint in 2018 that accused Guilfoyle of repeated sexual harassment, according to a New Yorker article published Thursday.
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Jane Mayer, who wrote the article, reported in March 2019 that Fox News secretly paid an undisclosed sum to the assistant, who no longer works at the network. Mayer now says that Fox agreed to pay the woman about $4 million to avoid going to trial over a lawsuit.
In a 42-page complaint, a former assistant at Fox accused Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is now one of the Trump campaign’s top fund-raising officials, of sexual harassment—and of attempting to buy her silence @JaneMayerNYerhttps://t.co/jAhoLnVXkB — Emma Kinery (@EmmaKinery) October 1, 2020
Fox News did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on The New Yorker report.
Guilfoyle was a prosecutor in Los Angeles and San Francisco before becoming co-host of the political talk show “The Five” on Fox News. The network forced her out mid-contract in July 2018, and she now serves as President Donald Trump’s campaign finance chair while dating Donald Trump Jr.
HuffPost first reported in 2018 that Guilfoyle’s departure from the network was not voluntary and that sources said she was terminated following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior, such as sexual misconduct. Six sources said that Guilfoyle would show colleagues personal photographs of male genitalia (and identify whose genitals they were), regularly discussed sexual matters at work and would be emotionally abusive toward hair and makeup artists and support staff.
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Guilfoyle has maintained that her decision to move from television news to a political campaign was voluntary and that the allegations about her behavior were false. She later threatened HuffPost and other media companies with potential legal action following reports about the sexual harassment claims.
Mayer’s article detailing the former assistant’s draft complaint corroborates HuffPost’s earlier reporting, including that the woman was frequently subjected to degrading, abusive and sexually inappropriate behaviors, such as being shown lewd photographs of men with whom Guilfoyle had sexual relations.
Other instances Mayer cites from the draft complaint are that the assistant was required to work at Guilfoyle’s New York apartment while the network host walked around naked, was forced to listen to Guilfoyle speak incessantly about her sex life, was ordered to give Guilfoyle a thigh massage and was told to submit to a Fox employee’s sexual demands.
The Trump surrogate declined to be interviewed by Mayer but told The New Yorker that she has “never engaged in any workplace misconduct of any kind.” The former assistant has not been publicly identified, and the draft complaint, which was never filed in court, is allegedly covered by a nondisclosure agreement.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-02--'This Is Not Who We Are': Twitter Rages Over Melania's Taped Remarks On Migrant Children

Twitter critics were slack-jawed Thursday after a secretly taped conversation with Melania Trump appeared to show the first lady being disdainful of media questions about migrant children separated from their families — and about White House Christmas decor .
The conversation from July 2018 , which was aired Thursday on CNN , had reportedly occurred between her and former friend and aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff .
At one point , the first lady , who had recently visited a Texas shelter at the border , appeared irritated that she had been asked about children separated from their parents when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ working on Christmas planning.
” “ They said , ‘ Oh , what about the children that were separated ?
’ Give me a fucking break , ” she said .
Melania Trump also is heard saying on the tape that many migrant children with families seeking asylum are “ teached by other people what to say ” to stay in the U.S. She also griped about the pressure she had been under to come up with the White House displays for Christmas , the holiday her husband claims pagan leftists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Christmas stuff and decoration ?
” Also : “ They said , ‘ Oh , what about the children that were separated ?
’ Give me a fucking break.
” — Melania Trump in July 2018 , when her husband ’ s administration was separating migrant families at the border .
https : //t.co/eIRkxTaim4 — Philip Rucker ( @ PhilipRucker ) October 2 , 2020 Rep. Ted Lieu ( D-Calif. ) , who is Catholic , tweeted that he “ resents ” Trump and his family for mocking Christians and looking “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christmas is the day Christ was born , and we are not ‘ hustlers , ’ as Trump has called us.
” Dave Cavell , who had been a speechwriter for former President Barack Obama , tweeted about how much the Obama family truly loved Christmas in the “ People ’ s House.
” The American Bridge PAC tweeted : “ This is not who we are .
We can not reelect Donald Trump .
A number of supporters of the first lady , however , professed they had never been prouder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Catholic , I resent when @ realDonaldTrump and his family mock Christians and look down on our faith .
We believe Christmas is the day Christ was born , and we are not “ hustlers ” as Trump has called us .
I urge @ POTUS & @ FLOTUS to stop disrespecting Christians.
# MelaniaTapes https : //t.co/OLX8dZSUMd — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) October 2 , 2020 I helped prepare the Obamas ’ final Christmas message in 2016 .
For the record , they LOVED Christmas , and were honored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House — “ the People ’ s House.
” I wrote about it here : https : //t.co/SDt6KBFvAX # MelaniaTapes — Dave Cavell ( @ DavidFCavell ) October 2 , 2020 “ And they said , ‘ Oh what about the children , that they were separated ?
’ Give me a fucking break.
” - First Lady Melania Trump .
This is not who we are .
We can not re-elect @ realDonaldTrump .
pic.twitter.com/7DizRB7wZD — American Bridge 21st Century ( @ American_Bridge ) October 2 , 2020 While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd like to just remind you that family separation is alive and well and tonight a child will show up alone at the US Border and our country 's policy is to deport that child without their parents or lawyers to help them .
— Alida Garcia ( @ leedsgarcia ) October 2 , 2020 The woman who violated U.S. immigration law to work in the United States on a tourist visa , believes all those moms and children fleeing violence in Central America are making up their asylum claims .
# MelaniaTapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ juliaioffe ) October 2 , 2020 Here 's the thing about the Melania tapes , whichever side you 're on : they 're drowning in self-pity , and she acts like , thanks to Trump and the media , she never has a choice in how to behave .
She always has a choice # MelaniaTapes — Paul Rudnick ( @ PaulRudnickNY ) October 2 , 2020

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Twitter critics were slack-jawed Thursday after a secretly taped conversation with Melania Trump appeared to show the first lady being disdainful of media questions about migrant children separated from their families — and about White House Christmas decor.
The conversation from July 2018, which was aired Thursday on CNN, had reportedly occurred between her and former friend and aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. At one point, the first lady, who had recently visited a Texas shelter at the border, appeared irritated that she had been asked about children separated from their parents when she wanted to talk about how she was “working on Christmas planning.”
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“They said, ‘Oh, what about the children that were separated?’ Give me a fucking break,” she said.
One critic on Twitter shot back: “You know who didn’t get a f**king break? The children.”
Melania Trump also is heard saying on the tape that many migrant children with families seeking asylum are “teached by other people what to say” to stay in the U.S.
The first lady is an immigrant from Slovenia.
She also griped about the pressure she had been under to come up with the White House displays for Christmas, the holiday her husband claims pagan leftists are killing: “Who gives a f**k about Christmas stuff and decoration?”
Also: “They said, ‘Oh, what about the children that were separated?’ Give me a fucking break.” — Melania Trump in July 2018, when her husband’s administration was separating migrant families at the border. https://t.co/eIRkxTaim4 — Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) October 2, 2020
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who is Catholic, tweeted that he “resents” Trump and his family for mocking Christians and looking “down on our faith. We believe Christmas is the day Christ was born, and we are not ‘hustlers,’ as Trump has called us.”
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Dave Cavell, who had been a speechwriter for former President Barack Obama, tweeted about how much the Obama family truly loved Christmas in the “People’s House.”
The American Bridge PAC tweeted: “This is not who we are. We cannot reelect Donald Trump.
A number of supporters of the first lady, however, professed they had never been prouder of her or admired her more.
As a Catholic, I resent when @realDonaldTrump and his family mock Christians and look down on our faith. We believe Christmas is the day Christ was born, and we are not “hustlers” as Trump has called us. I urge @POTUS & @FLOTUS to stop disrespecting Christians.#MelaniaTapes https://t.co/OLX8dZSUMd — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) October 2, 2020
I helped prepare the Obamas’ final Christmas message in 2016. For the record, they LOVED Christmas, and were honored to spend the holidays welcoming military families to the White House — “the People’s House.” I wrote about it here: https://t.co/SDt6KBFvAX#MelaniaTapes — Dave Cavell (@DavidFCavell) October 2, 2020
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." -- Maya Angelou#MelaniaTapes pic.twitter.com/U75298cm4j — Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) October 2, 2020
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“And they said, ‘Oh what about the children, that they were separated?’ Give me a fucking break.” - First Lady Melania Trump.
This is not who we are. We cannot re-elect @realDonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/7DizRB7wZD — American Bridge 21st Century (@American_Bridge) October 2, 2020
Asked about children in cages, the first lady said "give me a f***ing break."
You know who didn't get a f***ing break? The children. https://t.co/0Ebh44XbNw — Merav Ben-David (@MBenDavid2020) October 2, 2020
While everyone is discussing the #MelaniaTapes I'd like to just remind you that family separation is alive and well and tonight a child will show up alone at the US Border and our country's policy is to deport that child without their parents or lawyers to help them. — Alida Garcia (@leedsgarcia) October 2, 2020
The woman who violated U.S. immigration law to work in the United States on a tourist visa, believes all those moms and children fleeing violence in Central America are making up their asylum claims. #MelaniaTapes https://t.co/pGDKtZXfya pic.twitter.com/1g9C3lMDnO — Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) October 2, 2020
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Welp. Melania Trump is apparently on the front lines in the War on Christmas #MelaniaTapes pic.twitter.com/9BmdHCRwSU — Nathan H. Rubin (@NathanHRubin) October 2, 2020
Here's the thing about the Melania tapes, whichever side you're on: they're drowning in self-pity, and she acts like, thanks to Trump and the media, she never has a choice in how to behave. She always has a choice#MelaniaTapes — Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) October 2, 2020
Hey Evangelicals. That 'War on Christmas' you're always talking about...
It's coming from inside the White House.#MelaniaTapes — Translate Trump (@TranslateRealDT) October 2, 2020
Can we stop the Melania is an innocent bystander storyline now? #MelaniaTapes https://t.co/fb3Eksq4yQ — Gene Jones (@GeneAJonesJr) October 2, 2020
#MelaniaTapes
Are y’all really surprised a racist birther said something else terrible? 🤷🏾♀ — Miss Aja (@brat2381) October 2, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-01--Trump Condemns White Supremacy, Proud Boys After Days Of Backlash

President Donald Trump condemned white supremacist groups in a call to Sean Hannity ’ s Fox News program on Thursday after telling the far-right Proud Boys to “ stand back and stand by ” at this week ’ s presidential debate .
“ I ’ ve said it many times .
Let me be clear again .
I condemn the KKK .
I condemn all white supremacists .
I condemn the Proud Boys , ” Trump said on “ Hannity.
” “ I don ’ t know much about the Proud Boys , almost nothing , but I condemn that.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debate moderator , Fox News ’ Chris Wallace , if he was willing to condemn white supremacists and call on them to stand down in cities such as Kenosha , Wisconsin , and Portland , Oregon , where armed right-wing extremists have shown up at anti-racism protests , often clashing with marchers .
He didn ’ t .
Instead , he used his answer to attack “ antifa ” and “ the left ” for outbreaks of violence .
Members of the Proud Boys , a violent fascist hate group , celebrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to action .
His comment brought backlash from all directions .
Republican lawmakers urged him to correct the statement .
On Wednesday , Trump backtracked , claiming not to know who the Proud Boys are but adding that they should “ stand down and let law enforcement do their work.
” Trump followed up his remarks on Thursday by saying that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should condemn antifa , a loosely allied group of “ anti-fascists , ” and complaining that he could condemn white supremacists “ a hundred times ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ fake news.
” Trump has denounced white supremacy in the past .
However , he has also repeatedly failed to do so .
In 2016 , he refused several times to condemn former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and declare he didn ’ t want his vote .
At the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , the following year , Trump insisted that there were “ very fine people on both sides ” of the protests .
And last month , when 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter protest with an assault-style rifle , Trump defended the teen .
It was a strange forum for Trump to make his denunciation Thursday .
Hannity has hosted Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes on his show numerous times , as Media Matters pointed out .
He also hosted another prominent member of the group on his radio show in 2017 .

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“I’ve said it many times. Let me be clear again. I condemn the KKK. I condemn all white supremacists. I condemn the Proud Boys,” Trump said on “Hannity.” “I don’t know much about the Proud Boys, almost nothing, but I condemn that.”
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Trump was asked explicitly Tuesday by the debate moderator, Fox News’ Chris Wallace, if he was willing to condemn white supremacists and call on them to stand down in cities such as Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Portland, Oregon, where armed right-wing extremists have shown up at anti-racism protests, often clashing with marchers.
He didn’t. Instead, he used his answer to attack “antifa” and “the left” for outbreaks of violence. Members of the Proud Boys, a violent fascist hate group, celebrated Trump’s response as a call to action. His comment brought backlash from all directions. Republican lawmakers urged him to correct the statement.
On Wednesday, Trump backtracked, claiming not to know who the Proud Boys are but adding that they should “stand down and let law enforcement do their work.”
Trump followed up his remarks on Thursday by saying that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should condemn antifa, a loosely allied group of “anti-fascists,” and complaining that he could condemn white supremacists “a hundred times” and it wouldn’t be enough for the “fake news.”
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Trump has denounced white supremacy in the past. However, he has also repeatedly failed to do so. In 2016, he refused several times to condemn former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and declare he didn’t want his vote. At the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the following year, Trump insisted that there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protests. And last month, when 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two people after showing up at a Black Lives Matter protest with an assault-style rifle, Trump defended the teen.