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Donald Trump's coughs 'edited out' of hospital video

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A slightly hoarse and pale Donald Trump has issued a video on Twitter thanking medical staff and gave an update on his condition. Video / Donald Trump via Twitter

A slightly hoarse and pale Donald Trump has issued a video on Twitter thanking medical staff and gave an update on his condition. Video / Donald Trump via Twitter

news.com.au
By Benedict Brook & Candace Sutton

US President Donald Trump's coughs are being "edited out" and his hospital media appearances are being "staged", it is being claimed on social media.

According to metadata embedded in two photos the White House released of Trump at Walter Reed Hospital, they were taken 10 minutes apart.

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The photos feature Trump tieless in a white shirt looking at files at a boardroom table and then with a navy jacket over the shirt in a different room, signing a document.

Some on Twitter claim the document is just "a blank piece of paper" and others suggest the photos, taken at 5.25:29 (with the jacket) and 5.35:40 (in just the shirt), were "completely staged" with "costume changes".

"So they are moving him around to different rooms, signing blank pages," one Twitter user posted.

The EXIF data revealing the timing of the photos was embedded in the images released in news agency @AP wire postings.

On Twitter, one user suggested that someone is editing the "coughs" from video of Trump's TV appearances from the hospital, using Adobe software.

One Twitter used claimed that in the video released by Trump on Twitter, he coughed after the word "therapeutics" and it was edited out using the "morph cut" feature in the Adobe Premiere CC program.

Dr Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, briefs reporters at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
Dr Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, briefs reporters at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin

Another Twitter user claimed if you zoomed in onto Trump's eyes in the video, there was evidence that his pupils were dilated, possibly from medication.

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Others speculated that the video of the president may not have been filmed at Walter Reed Hospital at all, but before he left the White House.

It was reported Trump had a high fever and his blood oxygen level "dropped rapidly" before he went to hospital, according to his top aide.

Speaking to Fox News late on Saturday (Sunday afternoon, NZ time) Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows said the President was increasingly worried about his health following his coronavirus diagnosis.

"Yesterday morning, he was real concerned with that. He had a fever and his blood oxygen level had dropped rapidly," he told host Jeannie Pirro.

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He added that the President had shown "unbelievable courage", was doing "extremely well" and he was "very optimistic" for his recovery.

"But he's not out of the woods yet. The next 48 hours will be critical."

White House Chief of State Mark Meadows, listens as Dr Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, briefs reporters. AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
White House Chief of State Mark Meadows, listens as Dr Sean Conley, physician to President Donald Trump, briefs reporters. AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin

Other reports have said the President had "heart palpitations", his fever reached 39.5C and he openly wondered whether he was going to die.

The revelations came just hours after Trump himself said he "wasn't feeling so well" prior to his trip to hospital.

On Saturday, Trump uploaded to Twitter a video from inside the hospital where he is being treated for coronavirus.

Trump thanked the staff of the Walter Reed Medical Centre and said he would be "back soon, to finish the campaign" following his treatment for Covid-19.

He also said he was given the option of remaining at the White House but he couldn't be "locked upstairs".

Trump was taken to the hospital by helicopter on Friday night reportedly after being administered supplementary oxygen in the White House. He is being treated alongside First Lady Melania Trump.

"I came here, I wasn't feeling so well. I feel much better now. I'm starting to feel good," he said on Saturday night, US time.

"We're working hard to get me back. I have to get back because we still have to make America great again. We have to finish that job and I think I'll be back soon ... to finishing up the campaign."

Trump said that virus was "something that's happened" to millions of people.

Signs left by supporters of President Donald Trump at the entrance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo / Cliff Owen
Signs left by supporters of President Donald Trump at the entrance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. AP Photo / Cliff Owen

"I'm fighting for them, not just in the US but all over the world.

"We're going to beat this coronavirus, or whatever you want to call it, and we're going to beat it soundly."

Moving on to his wife, Trump said her age meant she was in a low-risk category for the disease.

"Our First Lady is doing very well. She asked me to say something of the respect and love that she has for our country. Melania is handling it very well and that makes me very happy and makes the country very happy."

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