In new book, Trump's ex-press secretary hints at why he made secret hospital visit
Stephanie Grisham is shedding some light on former President Donald Trump's unscheduled November 2019 visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Grisham, a former White House press secretary, writes about the event in her new book I'll Take Your Questions Now, CNN reports. At the time, the White House explained that Trump made an unannounced visit to Walter Reed so he could undergo "portions of his routine annual physical exam," as he would be "very busy" in 2020. This caused a stir, as staffers were not told he was coming ahead of time and presidents don't typically spread out their physical exams over several months.
In I'll Take Your Questions Now, Grisham heavily implies that Trump was at the hospital for a colonoscopy. She never uses the term, but describes it as "a very common procedure" during which a "patient is put under," CNN reports. She also says former President George W. Bush, who had multiple colonoscopies during his two terms, went through a similar procedure while in office. Grisham writes that Trump attempted to keep his visit under the radar because he didn't want former Vice President Mike Pence to be in charge while he was under and "did not want to be the butt of a joke" on late night talk shows.
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.
Trump told CNN in a statement that it is "too bad that sleaze bag publishers continue to report this very boring garbage. We and the MAGA movement are totally used to it. And someday in the not too distant future we will have our voice back and be treated fairly by the press."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The growing US movement to end child marriages
Under the Radar Practice is 'surprisingly widespread' but only 12 states have so far banned it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'New arrivals are more than paying for themselves'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
6 stylish homes in Portland, Oregon
Feature Featuring a wall of windows in Collins View and a historic ballroom in Portland Heights
By The Week US Published
-
'New arrivals are more than paying for themselves'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Don's enablers
Opinion Even Republicans who know better won't get in Trump's way
By William Falk Published
-
'Climate studies are increasingly becoming politicized'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
What would it be like in jail for Trump if he's convicted?
Today's Big Question The Secret Service has begun grappling with how to protect a former president behind bars
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'A financial windfall for Iranian terrorism'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Box Trump in for real if he pulls another stunt. Put him behind bars.'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Can we — the people who have bought so much already — really keep buying more?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Presidential debates are more performance art than actual ways to inform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published