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President Trump, who spent the weekend in the hospital being treated for COVID-19, made a theatrical return to the White House Monday evening, disembarking Marine One and walking the staircase to the South Portico entrance, where he turned to face the cameras, removed his mask and gave his signature two thumbs up. Shortly before, a masked Trump had emerged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was receiving treatment, pumping his fist and giving a thumbs up as he ignored questions from reporters. (Neuman, 10/6)

Public health experts had hoped that President Trump, chastened by his own infection with the coronavirus and the cases that have erupted among his staff, would act decisively to persuade his supporters that wearing masks and social distancing were essential to protecting themselves and their loved ones. But instead, tweeting on Monday from the military hospital where he has been receiving state-of-the-art treatment for Covid-19, the president yet again downplayed the deadly threat of the virus. “Don’t be afraid of Covid,” he wrote. “Don’t let it dominate your life.” (Kolata and Rabin, 10/5)

Trump left Walter Reed Medical Center by helicopter on Monday evening, with Marine One touching down on the White House South Lawn about 15 minutes later. He walked out of Walter Reed under his own power, but did not take questions from reporters gathered outside. Upon his return, Trump walked up the stairs to the White House wearing a white mask before taking it off on the balcony, standing for a few moments for a photo op before walking in without wearing the mask. Experts say that someone in Trump‘s progression of the virus is still likely contagious, and multiple people could be seen waiting for him on the other side of the entrance. (Oprysko and Forgey, 10/5)

The president painted an optimistic view of his condition, saying that "now I'm better, and maybe I'm immune, I don't know." Trump delivered the remarks, maskless, from the White House South Portico shortly after he arrived from Walter Reed Medical Center. White House physician Sean Conley told reporters earlier on Monday that Trump would continue his treatment regimen at the White House, where he will receive "24/7 world class medical care." The president will continue taking his five-day course of remdesivir, an antiviral drug, as well as the steroid dexamethasone. (Jackson, Subramanian and Weise, 10/5)