Nothing to see here, apparently.
Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday backed President Trump’s ongoing denial that he suffered a stroke late last year — a suggestion that the President vehemently denies yet continues to rehash.
Throughout Tuesday, Trump repeatedly brought up and denied a suggestion that CNN political analyst Joe Lockhart floated that speculated that the President’s unexpected visit to Walter Reed late last year was prompted by a stroke, which the President dismissed as “fake news” in a tweet. The Trump campaign later issued a scathing statement calling for CNN to fire Lockhart.
Even the President’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, hit back at the suggestion that Trump suffered from a stroke late last year by issuing his own statement. Conley wrote that he can confirm that the President had not experienced nor had been evaluated for stroke, mini stroke or any acute cardiovascular emergencies. Conley added that recent comments surrounding Trump’s health have been “incorrectly reported in the media.”
Trump’s tirade over the suggestion that he suffered from a stroke came after CNN reported that New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt wrote in his forthcoming book that Pence was privately put on “standby” to assume presidential powers “temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized” at Walter Reed.
When pressed on whether it’s true that the VP was put on “standby” late last year during an interview on Fox News on Tuesday evening, Pence insisted that Trump is “in excellent health.”
“I’m always informed of the President’s movements. Whether it was on that day or any other day, I’m informed,” Pence said. “But there was nothing out of the ordinary about that moment or that day.”
Pence referred “any other questions” to Conley, the White House physician, before being pressed again on whether he was put on “standby” if Trump were to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized at Walter Reed.
“I don’t recall being told to be on standby,” Pence said. “I was informed that the President had a doctor’s appointment, and I’ve got to tell you, part of this job is you are always on standby if you are Vice President of the United States.”
Pence added that the public “can be confident that this President is in remarkable good health” and that “every single day I see that energy and high relief.”
Watch Pence’s remarks below:
Vice President Mike Pence says that Trump is in "excellent health" amid the President insisting that he didn't suffer a stroke late last year pic.twitter.com/5RUOLJWNTU
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) September 1, 2020
