What Was President Trump’s Point in His Video Message?

Published in NHK
(Japan) on 4 October 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kelsey Lechner. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
After being infected with COVID-19 and hospitalized, President Donald Trump posted a video message on Twitter saying “the next period of a few days, I guess that’s the real test.” We had a reporter analyze Trump’s meaning behind the message.

What Was the Point of the Message?

Reporter: I think his point was that they would be able to ascertain his health in the next few days. Trump and his attending physicians are indicating that he is getting better.

On the other hand, someone knowledgeable about the president’s condition admitted that the next 48 hours would be critical as the medical data over the last 24 hours have been cause for concern. Therefore, with such conflicting information circulating, it’s hard to grasp what’s truly going on.

In this situation, it is important that the president himself set a clear deadline for “the next period of a few days” to determine whether he is getting better.

If he can’t actually proclaim that he is getting better in a few days, this would raise more worry. Therefore it’s surprising that these words came from the president’s own mouth.

Why Send the Message Now?

Reporter: I think more than anything he’s trying to diminish public concern. There has been widespread anxiety since the top official in the nation contracted COVID-19 and has been hospitalized.

I believe that is why the president, who is both responsible for the administration and is running in the election which will take place next month, decided it would be best for him to release the information himself early.

Another thing is that there was a meeting of his physicians on the morning of Oct. 3 (Japan time). They emphasized that his condition was improving but notably avoided answering any direct questions about his condition.

For this reason, this could be interpreted as meaning that his condition isn’t as great as the doctors are saying, and the president may have wanted to dispel this view.


【記者解説】トランプ大統領 ビデオメッセージのポイントは?

2020年10月4日 10時29分

新型コロナウイルスに感染して入院しているアメリカのトランプ大統領はツイッターにビデオメッセージを投稿し、「今後、数日間が試金石となる」と述べました。ビデオメッセージのポイントを記者が解説します。
※動画はデータ放送ではご覧になれません。

メッセージのポイントは?

記者
一番のポイントは「今後、数日間で体調を見極める」とした点です。
トランプ大統領の容体について、大統領自身や主治医は、改善に向かっているとしています。

その一方で、大統領の容体に詳しい関係者は、「過去24時間の健康に関する数値がとても懸念されるレベルで、今後48時間が重要だ」との認識を示し、相反する情報が出回っていてはっきりしたことがわかっていません。

こうした状況の中で、大統領みずからが、「今後、数日」と具体的な期限を示して本格的な改善につながるかどうか見極めるとしたことは重要です。

仮に、数日たっても体調の改善をアピールできない場合はさらなる不安を呼ぶことになりますから、大統領本人の口からこうした言葉が出たことに驚きも感じます。

なぜ今メッセージを?

記者
何より国民の動揺を抑えたいねらいがあると思います。国のトップが新型コロナウイルスに感染し、入院する事態に国民の間には不安が広がっています。

だからこそ、政権運営を担う大統領として、そして1か月後に選挙を控えた候補者としても、少しでも早くみずからの口で情報を発信するのがよいと判断したとみられます。

もう1点、こちらの時間の3日午前中には主治医が会見し、体調は改善していると強調しましたが、具体的な体調の質問になると、はぐらかしたり、答えを避けたりする場面も目立ちました。

このため、医師が説明するほど病状はよくはないのではないかとの見方が出ていたのも事実で、大統領としては、こうした見方も払しょくしたかった可能性がありそうです。
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