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Has Corona: Donald Trump
Photo: JOSHUA ROBERTS / REUTERS
First a tweet, then the official confirmation: "Tonight the First Lady and I tested positive for Covid-19" announced US President Donald Trump at 0.54 a.m. (local time) on his favorite medium.
Ten minutes later, the White House distributed a brief memo from Trump's personal physician Sean Conley: Yes, the Trump couple were infected.
So the unthinkable became conceivable: The most powerful man in the world, who had downplayed the coronavirus for months, who had openly mocked the wearing of masks, who so likes to portray himself as invincible, has now infected himself.
At the age of 74.
The bad news is not only shaking up the US election campaign in an unpredictable manner, just 32 days before election day.
It could also plunge the US into an unparalleled crisis - a crisis the extent of which no one can foresee.
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The letter in which the White House doctor confirmed Donald and Melania Trump were infected
Of course, Trump's diagnosis did not come as a surprise.
His closest advisor Hope Hicks, who has been at his side since 2015, tested positive on Thursday morning and is apparently sick at home.
The White House initially kept Hick's test result a secret until it leaked that evening.
Only then did the West Wing come out with the truth.
This is a shocking emergency that nobody has practiced here - despite Trump's casual attitude towards the virus, at least externally.
"
It is what it is,
" he said, that's just how it is.
But what happens now?
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Also infected: Trump's closest advisor Hope Hicks
Photo: LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
Trump's chances of recovery are statistically good.
He is said to be asymptomatic and has the best medical care in the United States.
Nevertheless, as an overweight senior citizen of otherwise largely unclear health, he is in the high risk group for a problematic course of the disease.
80 percent of Americans who die from Covid-19 are older than 65.
According to personal physician Conley, Trump and the First Lady are doing "well at this time".
You are in quarantine.
But so many questions remain unanswered.
Can he continue to rule?
Will he keep tweeting?
What does the world find out - and what can you believe in a White House that has long lost its credibility?
Just the secrecy about Hope Hicks and Trump's own test result, which may have been around for a long time, leaves you puzzled.
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Was the first debate the last?
Trump and Biden on Tuesday
Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP
The two planned TV debates between Donald Trump and Joe Biden - the week after next and the week after - are now most likely canceled.
That should be almost an advantage for Trump after Tuesday's fiasco.
Also the big election campaign events of Trump, his rallies with tens of thousands of fans cheering for him, without masks and tightly packed, are probably now a thing of the past.
In other words, this campaign is as good as over.
That has never happened before.
There are already rumors that Trump is using the crisis to postpone the election date again.
Biden also has to be careful.
According to media reports, Hope Hicks already showed the first symptoms on Wednesday when she and Trump flew to Minnesota to make several appearances.
But were you or Trump infected on Tuesday?
During the TV debate, the president and his team traveled - without masks - in a room with 77-year-old Biden.
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Tight and without masks: Trump appearance on Wednesday
Photo: LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
According to initial information from NBC, at least 20 people flew through the area with Trump on board "Air Force One" in the last few days - apart from the unsuspecting press pool - and are therefore endangered.
Including his children Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric, son-in-law Jared Kushner, chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorney Rudy Giuliani, top advisors Stephen Miller and Dan Scavino, and spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany.
Correctly, the entire West Wing should now go into quarantine.
Which would dangerously slow down central US government affairs.
At best.
Trump flew to New Jersey again on Thursday - when he knew about the risk - to meet with supporters behind closed doors.
It is questionable that someone kept their distance or wore a mask.
Spokeswoman McEnany stayed behind in Washington as a precaution.
Nevertheless, after the situation had long been known internally, she calmly gave a press conference - without a mask.
She didn't say a word about Hope Hicks.
How things go from here depends entirely on how Trump's infection goes - an unpredictable outlook.
If it passes lightly, the consequences should be minor.
But what happens if Trump becomes so sick that he is unable to work?
Then Vice President Mike Pence would take over the helm.
Should Pence also become infected or have already been infected, government power would fall to No. 3 on the successor list - Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic spokeswoman for the House of Representatives.
Of all things.
"The end of the pandemic is in sight"
Donald Trump on Thursday
With Trump, another head of state who has downplayed the pandemic for political reasons is now struck by the virus.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro - and Boris Johnson - had already suffered this fate.
There are already suspicions that Trump could use an illness and possible recovery in his favor.
A Guardian reporter already reminded on Twitter that the British prime minister had benefited from his own infection.
It was only on Thursday that Trump claimed again that the corona crisis would soon be over: "An end to the pandemic is in sight," he said in a recorded video message for a gala dinner.
"Next year will be one of the greatest years in our country's history."
That night the White House sent out a revised Trump schedule for that Friday.
A meeting with supporters in Washington and a major appearance in Florida were canceled.
Only one item on the agenda remained: "A phone call about Covid-19 help for sick people."
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