Kate Garraway has slammed President Donald Trump for his ‘heartbreaking’ response to contracting COVID-19, as her husband Derek Draper continues his battle with coronavirus.
The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, criticised Trump, 74, on Tuesday’s show after he said ‘maybe I’m immune., I don’t know’ outside a military hospital where he was being treated for coronavirus. and tweeted ‘I feel better than I did 20 years ago.’
Kate, whose husband has become the longest person battling coronavirus in the UK after being hospitalised in March, said: ‘It is extraordinary.
Fury: Kate Garraway has slammed President Donald Trump for his ‘heartbreaking’ response to contracting COVID-19, as her husband Derek Draper continues his battle with coronavirus
Mask off: The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, criticised Trump, 74, after he said ‘maybe I’m immune., I don’t know’ outside a military hospital after contracting COVID-19. and tweeted ‘I feel better than I did 20 years ago’ (pictured returning to the White House on Monday)
‘It’s heartbreaking actually. So his attitude you could argue sanctioned the behaviour.
‘And really what would we be doing if this was you or me? We would be sobbing our hearts out saying “aren’t I lucky I’m doing so well”.’
‘Do you think at some level he knows that and thinks ‘I’ve just gotta carry on like this?”
She continued: ‘And there are children who have died, with their mums and dads not being allowed to see them, so why does he think it’s more important for him to get into that car?’
She said: ‘It’s heartbreaking actually. So his attitude you could argue sanctioned the behaviour’
Painful: Kate’s husband Derek Draper has become the longest patient battling coronavirus in hospital in the UK (pictured in December 2019)
GMB’s Dr Hilary Jones also told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that Trump could still be contagious, despite his release from hospital.
He said: ‘I would imagine so. Since he says his test was on Thursday it is likely he is still contagious he has no way to know if he has immunity or not.’
President Trump said on Friday that he and his wife Melania had tested positive for COVID-19 and were going into quarantine, upending the race for the White House.
He tweeted: ‘We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!’
Stepping out: Kate was later seen arriving to her Smooth FM radio show at the Global Studios in Leicester Square, London
Kate added: ‘And really what would we be doing if this was you or me? We would be sobbing our hearts out saying “aren’t I lucky I’m doing so well”‘
He was later admitted to the Walter Reed hospital for treatment and released on Monday.
Trump walked out of Walter Reed on Monday, took Marine One back to the White House – and took off his mask almost immediately despite being sick with COVID and depending on a cocktail of experimental drugs for his recovery.
He saluted, waved, and then started filming a video on the balcony of the South Portico, returning to an executive mansion where multiple aides and household staff also have the virus, and from where he promises he will soon leave to hit the campaign trail.
Removing his mask was a jarring end to three days of drama which saw him medevaced to Walter Reed on Marine One on Friday, revealed to have been on oxygen repeatedly, and treated with drugs not available to ordinary Americans.
Emotional subject: She continued: ‘And there are children who have died, with their mums and dads not being allowed to see them, so why does he think it’s more important for him to get into that car?’
On Monday, just four days after he tested positive with the deadly virus, he tweeted: ‘I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid.
‘Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!’
Shortly after his message, doctors appeared outside the hospital to say that while Trump was not ‘out of the woods’, they were satisfied he could go home.
This comes as Kate revealed that Dominic West ‘personally apologised’ to her after he said he ‘jumped for joy’ over Donald Trump‘s COVID diagnosis.
Stylish: Kate looked stylish in a pair of blue skinny jeans with a white knitted polo neck jumper
Busy bee: Kate put on an animated display as she made a phone call while arriving for her radio duties on Tuesday
Talking on Monday’s Good Morning Britain, the presenter said he ‘wasn’t aware’ her husband Derek was ‘still sick’ with coronavirus.
On Friday’s show, Dominic was heavily criticised for explaining how he ‘jumped for joy’ upon learning President Trump has coronavirus.
Discussing his comments on Monday’s show, Kate said: ‘I was surprised because I don’t think Dominic meant, well he’s been in touch directly with me, to apologise personally to me.
‘He wasn’t aware that Derek had coronavirus and was still sick and was worried that I had been upset by it. I wasn’t upset for those reasons, I was surprised because I went on to say afterwards, I’m sure you join us in wishing him [Trump] the very best.
Keeping ahead of the news: Kate made sure she was well briefed ahead of the show as she carried a stack of newspapers
Finishing touches: The star finished her autumnal look with shearling-lined ankle boots and a beige leather handbag
‘Personally, whatever your views may be. I don’t think he meant that, I think he’s not a Trump supporter.
‘I think it’s a symptom of Donald Trump’s behaviour throughout this pandemic he’s appeared to thumb his nose in it and he was jumping for joy at the idea he might now feel the effects of it. A reality check.’
She added: ‘I don’t believe Dominic West would wish someone ill.’
Discussing Donald Trump’s messages throughout his treatment, Kate continued: ‘That plays into the idea… you get coronavirus, you survive, you’re a hero. You’re not, you’re very lucky, the heroes are the people treating you and helping you to survive.’
Giving an update about Derek, who has been in hospital battling coronavirus since March, she said: ‘Derek, who has no longer tested positive for coronavirus, children aren’t allowed to see him, his mum and dad haven’t seen him.’
Out of the woods: Donald Trump arrived back at the White House on Monday night and immediately filmed a campaign video
Kate recently revealed that her children haven’t seen their father Derek in six months as he continues to battle the disease in hospital.
Derek has been in intensive care and was in a coma for months after the virus made him seriously ill and Kate herself, has only been permitted to visit a handful of times.
Kate and Derek, who married in September 2005, are parents to Darcey, 14, and William, 11 and the GMB host believes that a visit from his children would aid Derek’s recovery.
She said on the show on Monday: ‘Derek still hasn’t been allowed… his children can’t visit, his mum and dad haven’t seen him.
‘I personally believe actually believe him having contact in that room could possibly be of great benefit to have a physical presence.
Shock gesture: Trump, whose infection with COVID-19 was confirmed at 1am on Friday, removed his face mask
‘There are children that have died with their mums and dads not allowed to see them.’
During the show, Kate criticised Donald Trump after he took part in an impromptu ‘drive-by’ to surprise his supporters outside the Walter Reed hospital.
She said: ‘When you look at that footage of him doing that by the hospital, obviously his message is ‘I’m doing, I’m fighting the virus great, I’m here to win the election’, but that plays into the idea if you get the coronavirus and survive then you’re a hero; you’re not. You’re very lucky.
‘The heroes are the people treating you and helping you to survive and he;s not just putting the people in the car at risk he’s putting the people treating him at risk.’
More than 200,000 people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, in the United States alone, with the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions especially hard hit.
‘It would benefit him’: Kate recently revealed her two children haven’t seen their father Derek Draper in six months as he continues to battle coronavirus (stock photo)