Mark Meadows tries to walk back his claim Trump tested positive for COVID before Biden debate

Mark Meadows, former President Donald Trump's fourth chief of staff, more or less confirmed Wednesday night that Trump tested positive for COVID-19 three days before his first presidential debate against President Biden on Sept. 29, 2020 — but in an interview with Newsmax, he focused on the subsequent negative test. Two former administration officials confirmed Trump's Sept. 26 positive COVID-19 test to The Washington Post and The New York Times on Wednesday.
The news that Trump knew he could have been infected with the coronavirus at his debate with Biden and other events that week — a rally in Pennsylvania, an intimate meeting with the families of slain military service members, a fundraiser, and a ceremony to celebrate Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's swift confirmation — was revealed in an excerpt from Meadows' forthcoming book in The Guardian.
Trump "was furious that Meadows revealed the anecdote" and "that it was published via the liberal-leaning Guardian," the Post reports, citing a person familiar with his reaction. In a statement Wednesday morning, Trump insisted "the story of me having COVID before, or during, the first debate is Fake News," adding, "a test revealed that I did not have COVID before the debate." Meadows followed that line in his Newsmax interview, even after the host noted that Trump actually was rushed to Walter Reed hospital with a serious case of COVID-19 on Oct. 2.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Experts say there is no way to know which of the tests might have been a false result," but after his first positive test, Trump should have had a second sample tested with a more accurate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, the Post reports. Fox News host Chris Wallace, the debate moderator, said Oct. 2 that Trump probably had COVID-19 during the debate, and while Trump was supposed to get tested before taking the stage, he arrived too late and was on the "honor system."
In his book, Meadows reportedly writes that Trump's pallor and voice had improved before the debate, "but the dark circles under his eyes had deepened" and "as we walked into the venue around 5 o'clock in the evening, I could tell that he was moving more slowly than usual." When Biden was asked Wednesday if he thinks, given Meadows' revelations, that Trump put him at risk in the debate, he responded, "I don't think about the former president."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
June 28 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include stupid wars, a critical media, and mask standards
-
Thai fish pie with crispy turmeric potatoes recipe
The Week Recommends Tasty twist on the Lancashire hot pot is given a golden glow
-
Palestine Action: protesters or terrorists?
Talking Point Damaging RAF equipment at Brize Norton blurs line between activism and sabotage, but proscription is a drastic step
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Will NATO countries meet their new spending goal?
today's big question The cost of keeping Trump happy
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Bibi's back: what will Netanyahu do next?
Today's Big Question Riding high after a series of military victories, Israel's PM could push for peace in Gaza – or secure his own position with snap election