Dead by June': Trump reveals Congressman’s private diagnosis — then claims he saved him

Source: Alternet.org · Bias: Left

Summary

President Donald Trump went off-script about his redecoration of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during a Monday press conference and pivoted to discuss the narrow Republican majority in the House. That off-script moment included the announcement that one of the GOP's own members could be "dead by June."Trump asked Speaker Mike Johnson to share updates about Rep. Neal Dunn's (R-Fla.) health challenges, captured reporters observing. “He would be dead by June,” Trump said.Johnson noted, “That wasn’t public.” Back in February, it was revealed that Dunn had a "terminal diagnosis," though specifics and a timeline weren't given at the time. Tump then said, “The man has a new lease on life.” “No. 1, it was bad because I liked him," Trump continued. "No. 2, it was bad because I needed his vote.”"I did it for him first and for the vote second. But it was a close second," added. "Deeply uncomfortable conversation happening here, as Trump said, when he first heard the news, he thought it was bad[,] not just cause he likes Dunn but because he 'needed' his vote," quipped Sam Stein of The Bulwark. Trump went on to say that it occurred to him that he had access to the best doctors in the world, so he called them, "and they immediately went over to see the congressman, and he was on the operating table like two hours later."Stein noted, "Trump is more or less claiming credit for saving Dunn's life (TBD on that).""So much for patient privacy is what I thought," CNN reporter Manu Raju said after the network played the exchange.Raju said that the good news is that Dunn is doing better, but that it was a "remarkable statement" that Dunn was going to be "dead by June," which wasn't known at the time. "We've known that Congressman Dunn has been ill. And the reason why it's gotten a lot of attention is because of just how narrow the House Republican majority is. Remember, just one Republican defection. That's all that Mike Johnson can afford to pass any legislation right now. And there are three open seats because of vacancies. And there's questions about how long he can maintain this majority because of — he's a couple of heartbeats away or resignations away from suddenly the House being thrown into disarray," Raju explained.

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Dead by June': Trump reveals Congressman’s private diagnosis — then claims he saved him
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Dead by June': Trump reveals Congressman’s private diagnosis — then claims he saved him

Left

President Donald Trump went off-script about his redecoration of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during a Monday press conference and pivoted to discuss the narrow Republican majority in the House. That off-script moment included the announcement that one of the GOP's own members could be "dead by June."Trump asked Speaker Mike Johnson to share updates about Rep. Neal Dunn's (R-Fla.) health challenges, captured reporters observing. “He would be dead by June,” Trump said.Johnson noted, “That wasn’t public.” Back in February, it was revealed that Dunn had a "terminal diagnosis," though specifics and a timeline weren't given at the time. Tump then said, “The man has a new lease on life.” “No. 1, it was bad because I liked him," Trump continued. "No. 2, it was bad because I needed his vote.”"I did it for him first and for the vote second. But it was a close second," added. "Deeply uncomfortable conversation happening here, as Trump said, when he first heard the news, he thought it was bad[,] not just cause he likes Dunn but because he 'needed' his vote," quipped Sam Stein of The Bulwark. Trump went on to say that it occurred to him that he had access to the best doctors in the world, so he called them, "and they immediately went over to see the congressman, and he was on the operating table like two hours later."Stein noted, "Trump is more or less claiming credit for saving Dunn's life (TBD on that).""So much for patient privacy is what I thought," CNN reporter Manu Raju said after the network played the exchange.Raju said that the good news is that Dunn is doing better, but that it was a "remarkable statement" that Dunn was going to be "dead by June," which wasn't known at the time. "We've known that Congressman Dunn has been ill. And the reason why it's gotten a lot of attention is because of just how narrow the House Republican majority is. Remember, just one Republican defection. That's all that Mike Johnson can afford to pass any legislation right now. And there are three open seats because of vacancies. And there's questions about how long he can maintain this majority because of — he's a couple of heartbeats away or resignations away from suddenly the House being thrown into disarray," Raju explained.

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