Former President Donald Trump concocted an elaborate plan to excite and inspire the public following his bout with COVID-19, according to a new book by Maggie Haberman.
In “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America,” Haberman detailed the 45th president’s idea to emerge from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and woo the crowd with a demonstration of strength and resilience.
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The Planned Script: Trump wanted to be wheeled out from the hospital in a chair and once outside, he planned to stand up and unbutton his outer shirt to display a Superman logo underneath, according to Axios.
Trump’s plan “was inspired by the singer James Brown, whom he loved watching toss off his cape while onstage, but it was in line with his love of professional wrestling as well,” according to the book.
Trump was reportedly so serious about the plan that he instructed White House aide, Max Miller, to fetch the shirts from a big-box store in Virginia before ultimately abandoning the idea.
Instead, Trump walked out of the medical center after being discharged and gave a characteristic thumbs up to the press.
Both Trump and former first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 in late September 2020. The former president was admitted to and discharged from the hospital in early October.
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The Benginza Take: The showman, who spent the last 11 months of his presidency worrying about how the pandemic would affect his polling numbers, was also terrified of dying from the virus, according to a report.
The spectacle Trump planned was likely as much about displaying the strong-man image he admired in Russian President Vladimir Putin, but in Hollywood style, as it was about showing the self-pride he felt after beating the virus, which had made him quite ill.
Photo: Marco Taliani de Marchio via Shutterstock
Image and article originally from www.benzinga.com. Read the original article here.