Watch: Donald Trump Speaks out After Returning to White House

President Donald Trump shared a video from the White House after he returned Monday evening. Trump spent the weekend at Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was treated for symptoms of the coronavirus. In his video, he downplayed the severity of COVID-19, telling people not to let it “dominate” their lives and to “not be afraid of it.” Since the pandemic began, over 210,000 Americans have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

After thanking the staff at Walter Reed, Trump said he “learned so much” about the coronavirus. “One thing that’s for certain, don’t let it dominate you,” the president said. “Don’t be afraid of it. You’re going to beat it.” Trump said the country has the “best medical equipment, the best medicines, all developed recently. And you’re going to beat it.”

Trump said he “didn’t feel so good” after he contracted the virus, but claimed he was well enough to leave the hospital two days ago. “Don’t let it dominate. Don’t let it take over your lives,” he said again. “As your leader, I had to do that. I knew there’s danger to it,” Trump later said. “But I had to do it. I stood out front. I led. Nobody that’s a leader would not do what I did … Now I’m better. Maybe I’m immune. I don’t know. But don’t let it dominate your lives. Get out there. Be careful. We have the best medicines in the world.” At the end of the clip, Trump claimed a vaccine was coming “momentarily.” Moments later, Trump tweeted a 30-second campaign-style video edit of his return from the hospital.

In the lead-up to Trump’s return to the White House, Trump shared the “don’t let it dominate your life” message on Twitter. Moments later, his doctors said he wasn’t yet “out of the woods,” notes CNN. When he got back to the White House, Trump walked up the stairs to the first-floor balcony, where his staff had set up rows of American flags. He peeled off the mask, then saluted at his helicopter.

There are still many questions remaining about Trump’s experience with the coronavirus. During his press conference Monday, Dr. Sean Conley refused to say when the last time Trump tested negative for the coronavirus was. He did not reveal what a recent lung scan showed. He claimed privacy rules made it impossible for him to share that information, but the doctors were willing to detail the medication Trump received. He was given another round of remdesivir and will receive another round of the antiviral drug Tuesday at the White House. Trump was also treated with a steroid, dexamethasone. “He’s met or exceeded all hospital discharge criteria,” Conley said. “We plan to get him home. But Conley still said Trump “may not be entirely out of the woods yet.”