"He'll be dead by June" This is how absurdly Trump (79) publicizes the illness of a colleague
It is an unbelievable scene that takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington: At a press conference, Donald Trump talks to Mike Johnson about the fatal illness of a party colleague - and reveals more than he should.
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- Donald Trump and Mike Johnson talk about their party colleague Neal Dunn at a press conference at the Kennedy Center in Washington on March 15.
- Johnson reports that Dunn is suffering from a serious illness. Trump reveals more details than he should.
- Trump's doctors save the Republican: the 79-year-old emphasizes that he initially helped out of sympathy - and only then because he needed Dunn's vote.
Donald Trump meets with the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington yesterday, Monday: the national cultural center is to be closed for two years.
The White House cites the need for renovation as the reason - evil tongues claim it has to do with the many rejections from artists that have befallen the national institution since the 79-year-old has been at the helm.
The US President talks about this at a press conference - and also talks about the Iran war, for example. A scene is played out in ping-pong with his party colleague Mike Johnson, which is adventurous.
"Do people know his name?" Trump asks the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who grumbles something incomprehensible. Trump continues demanding: "Huh? You want to talk about it? He'd be proud. Go ahead: tell them the story."
"He'll be dead by June"
Johnson reports that Neal Dunn - a Republican congressman from Florida - is facing "some kind of real health challenge" that is "very serious". He had received "a pretty tough diagnosis". However, the 73-year-old is a "real champion and a patriot" because he still comes to work, Johnson told Trump.
Trump asks bluntly on the open microphone: "What was his diagnosis?" - "I think it was a final diagnosis," Johnson replies. Trump seems to remember. He says, "He'll be dead by June."
"Okay, that wasn't meant for public consumption, but yeah, okay.... " Johnson stammers, laughing quietly. "It was tough, that's what I was trying to say." Trump digs in again, "Because of a heart problem, by the way."
"It was bad because I needed his vote"
Johnson wants to move on quickly - Trump laughs and pats him on the back. The Speaker of the House of Representatives explains that Trump's doctors had taken care of the patient, who had undergone surgery at Walter Reed military hospital. "The man has started a new life," explains Johnson. "It's like he's 30 years younger."
Trump has actually turned the corner, but the New Yorker verbally steps on the gas again: "Mike [Johnson] called me and said: 'Sir, we've won three seats, but we're going to lose one by June. [...] He called to say that [Dunn] is final."
Trump continued, "I said, 'That's bad. For one thing, it was bad because I liked him. On the other hand, it was bad because I needed his vote." The party colleague himself told him: "As long as I live, I will always vote for you."
"But it actually came right after that"
It then dawned on Donald Trump that this story didn't come across as well as he probably thought. Shortly afterwards, he hastily adds: "And only because I don't want a terrible story about it: I did it for him first and only then because of the vote."
But the man obviously can't help himself - he adds: "[Getting the voice] actually came right after, but I did it secondarily for the voice, all right?"
During this scene, his chief of staff is sitting next to Trump: as the president later announces on his Truth Social platform, Susie Wiles has breast cancer.
The president changes the subject and talks about other things - the media - at least on the left - are somewhat horrified. "The guy's kids were bound to find out anyway: Why not through the president?" the protagonist of the late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" blasphemes, referring to Dunn.
"Trump reveals 'deadly' diagnosis of Florida Republican in meandering speech," summarizes the Guardian. "Trump blurts out lethal diagnosis of Republican congressman in weird moment," headlines the US broadcaster "MS Now"."Trump causes open mouths with revelation about 'fatal diagnosis'", writes the Independent.