Donald Trump's Kids React To His Hospitalization
Within 24 hours of learning that both President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus on October 2, 2020, politicians and celebrities took to social media to express their thoughts on news. It didn't stop there, as news broke that Trump' was subsequently hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Some, like Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, expressed "great sadness" over Trump's coronavirus result, while also highlighting the need for taking preventative measures in order to avoid any and all coronavirus contagions. Others, like Trump's electoral opponent and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, offered his thoughts and prayers.
Unsurprisingly, other members of the Trump family — namely Trump's children — have also come forward in response to their father's diagnosis and treatment for what's being called a "very moderate case." But despite well-wishes, not everyone has taken the sympathies of the Trump kids towards their father as a sign that they understand the severity of COVID-19, which at the time of this writing, has killed over 200,000 people in the U.S. alone (via The New York Times database). So what have Donald Trump's kids said about their father's diagnosis and hospitalization?
Donald Trump's kids wish their father a speedy recovery
Among the most prominent of President Donald Trump's children to respond to his and First Lady Melania Trump's coronavirus diagnoses was his daughter Ivanka Trump, who has worked as an advisor to her father since he assumed office in 2016. In a tweet sent the same day as the news broke on October 2, 2020, Ivanka shared her thoughts to her followers on social media, calling Trump a "warrior" and insisting he "would beat this."
The tweet also included a video of Trump recorded before he was airlifted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., which featured the president exhibiting a comparatively subdued demeanor than usual, stating: "I think I'm doing very well but we're going to make sure that things work out."
Like his sister's, Eric Trump's message to his followers stuck to quasi-military rhetoric. Also calling his father a "true warrior," Eric told his followers that Trump "will fight through this with the same strength and conviction that he uses to fight for America," and concluded his statement by expressing how "proud" he was of his father. (Notably, Eric Trump made headlines in May 2020 after suggesting on Fox News that Democratic governors had refused to reopen their states not because of COVID-19's still-growing infection rate, but in an attempt to stop the Trump campaign's rallies, implying that coronavirus itself is not dangerous.)
Some have taken issue with Trump children's stance on coronavirus
Though the president's son Donald Trump, Jr. took to Instagram rather than Twitter, his message also followed the same lines as his brother and sister. Calling Donald Trump a "fighter" instead of a "warrior," Don Jr. nevertheless conveyed confidence that Trump "will be fine," but "[it] but never hurts to have a little extra prayer."
Like his brother Eric, Don Jr. has also made news for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. In July 2020, Twitter temporarily suspended his account after the Donald Trump, Jr. posted a video to his account that questioned the efficacy of wearing a mask to prevent the disease's spread. The video also touted the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for COVID-19. As NPR noted at the time, the use of masks has been widely promoted and proven by medical professionals worldwide, and there is still no scientific evidence that hydroxychloroquine has any effect on treating COVID-19.
At least one of Trump's children has remained silent
Since the children of President Donald Trump — specifically Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — posted their messages, some have criticized their previous efforts to downplay of the virus and their continued efforts to campaign without taking precautions, like wearing masks. Eric Trump himself appeared at an event in Wisconsin less than a day before his father's diagnosis went public, prompting Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler to issue a statement about his behavior.
"Trump and his campaign continue to exacerbate the COVID-19 crisis by holding events that don't mandate masks or social distancing," Wikler said in an official statement (via People). "This is what we've come to expect from Trump and his campaign: ignore the reality of the virus, blame others, and skirt any responsibility to bring us back from this pandemic."
Notably, some of Trump's five children have remained silent since news of his diagnosis and hospitalization went live. Daughter Tiffany Trump has not updated her Twitter or her Instagram accounts at the time of this writing — her last Instagram post was in memoriam of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away on September 18, 2020. Finally, his youngest son, 14-year-old Barron Trump, does not have a public social media account.