President 'bored' at hospital, not 'out of the woods'
Chief of staff Mark Meadows says he was "very concerned" on Friday.
The mystery surrounding the President Donald Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis and condition deepened Saturday after several rounds of confusing and contradictory information from the White House and the president's medical staff.
Amid the swirl of developments, sources told ABC News that Trump, who remains hospitalized, had been given supplemental oxygen and experienced shortness of breath, a potentially worrisome picture that appeared to contradict both the rosier statements from Trump's doctor and assessments that he was doing well both on Twitter and elsewhere.
Speaking outside Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Saturday, Trump's physician would not offer a clear, declarative statement about whether the president had received oxygen treatment since testing positive.
The press pool was told soon after by a "source familiar with the president's health" that Trump's "vitals over last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care."
The lack of transparency and clarity from the White House contributed to a troubling pattern surrounding the events of the last week, including learning of Hope Hicks' diagnosis by a media leak, as the U.S. faces a potential crisis of governance just a month before the election.
Numerous questions remained including how many people at the highest levels of government had been exposed after a week of events involving the president where social distancing and mask-wearing were lax and the integrity of the testing efforts at the White House and elsewhere.
Since Trump announced he had coronavirus, Sen. Mike Lee, Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Ron Johnson, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway have announced they tested positive for COVID-19.
Saturday's headlines:
Trump doing 'very well,' no longer has fever, doctor says
Trump "is doing very well" Saturday morning, Dr. Sean Conley, physician to the president, said from Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Trump is in “exceptionally good spirits” and is not having difficulty breathing or walking around, Conley said.
"He did have a fever Thursday into Friday and since Friday he's had nothing," Conley said, though he would not say how high Trump's fever was.
"The president's been fever-free for over 24 hours. We remain cautiously optimistic, but he's doing great," he added.
"We have monitored his cardiac function, his kidney function, his liver function, all of those are normal," Conley said.
Trump will be treated with a five-day course of Remdesivir.
"Thursday he had a mild cough with some nasal congestion and fatigue all of which are now resolving and improving," Conley said. "The team and I are extremely happy with the progress the president has made."
Pressed on whether the president had been treated with supplemental oxygen at any point since his diagnosis, Conley wouldn’t provide a clear, declarative answer.
“And you said he's not received any supplemental oxygen?” a reporter asked.
“He's not on oxygen right now, that's right," Conley said.
When the reporter followed up on whether he had at any point, Conley replied, “He’s not needed any this morning, today, at all.”
At one point, Conley said, "yesterday and today he was not on oxygen." In another answer later he said, "Thursday, no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team while we were all here, he was not on oxygen." He did not address whether Trump had received oxygen while his team was not on site.
Asked whether Trump has experienced difficult breathing, Conley said, "No. No, he has not. Never did."
Reporters questioned when Trump last had a positive test, but Conley would not answer.
Conley also raised questions about the timeline by saying the president was "72 hours into the diagnosis," though Trump's diagnosis was announced to the public about 36 hours ago. Conley then in a memo sent by the White House said he "incorrectly used the term 'seventy two hours' instead of day three' and 'forty eight hours' instead of 'day two.'" Conley confirmed that Trump was diagnosed Thursday night.
Conley did not say when Trump would be discharged. "I don't want to put a hard date on that," Conley said.
This was Conley’s first on-camera briefing on the president’s condition.
ABC News' Elizabeth Thomas contributed to this report.
Chris Christie tests positive
Former New Jersey governor and ABC News contributor Chris Christie, who helped Trump prep for Tuesday’s debate from the White House on Monday, tweeted Saturday morning, “I just received word that I am positive for COVID-19.”
“I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition,” he wrote.
Christie is one of eight people who have tested positive after attending last weekend's event in the White House Rose Garden where Trump officially nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Trump rested through evening after experiencing shortness of breath
While the president had experienced a shortness of breath after testing positive for the virus, Saturday morning he is not having difficulty breathing, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
Trump went to Walter Reed Medical Center after experiencing a low-grade fever, chills, nasal congestion and cough. The president still has those symptoms on Saturday, multiple sources said.
Trump rested well through the night as doctors continue to monitor and evaluate him through the weekend to determine when he can return to the White House, sources told ABC News. As of Saturday morning, the president was still feeling fatigued but was signing papers and working, the sources said.
The president is still not considering any transition of power to Vice President Mike Pence. However, the president is worried, as coming down with the virus has spooked him and top aides, sources said.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who stayed at Walter Reed with the president overnight, tested negative for COVID-19 again Saturday morning.
ABC News' Katherine Faulders and John Santucci contributed to this report.
Donald Trump Jr. tests negative
Donald Trump Jr., who attended Tuesday’s debate with the president, tweeted Saturday that he’s tested negative.
"I'll give it a few more days out of and [sic] abundance of caution and test again and if I’m clear I’ll be back to work asap," he tweeted.
"Thanks to all those who so lovingly have reached out … It truly means a lot to us,” he added.
3rd member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to quarantine
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse announced Saturday that although he has tested negative for COVID-19, he's going to quarantine in his home state due to his "close interaction" with other senators who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Sasse is now at least the third member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who was at the Sept. 26 Rose Garden ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett who is now quarantining or isolating. President Donald Trump nominated Coney Barrett to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.
The Nebraska senator said he'll undergo "further testing" back home.
"After consulting with the Senate attending physician and Nebraska doctors, he will work remotely from his home in Nebraska, undergoing further testing," a spokesperson for Sasse told ABC News. "He will return to Washington for in-person work beginning October 12. Ben, Melissa, and their kids are praying for the President, the First Lady, and a nation continuing to battle this nasty virus.”
Sasse and other Republicans have made confirming Coney Barrett a priority despite multiple positive COVID-19 tests from those who were at the ceremony.
While Republicans, who hold a two-seat majority on the committee, are determined to plow forward with confirmation hearings - with virtual attendance by infected members permitted - the panel rules stipulate that a majority of members must be "actually present" in order to vote on a nomination.
"No bill, matter, or nomination shall be ordered reported from the Committee, however, unless a majority of the Committee is actually present at the time such action is taken and a majority of those present support the action taken," according to the committee rules.
If Sens. Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, who both tested positive for the virus, were unable to appear in person, Republicans on the 22-member committee would be deprived of an in-person majority, given that all Democrats on the panel would be expected to oppose the nomination.
However, that scenario is unlikely.
Lee said he'll be done with his 10-day quarantine before the hearing. "I have spoken with Leader McConnell and Chairman Graham, and assured them I will be back to work in time to join my Judiciary Committee colleagues in advancing the Supreme Court nomination," he said in a statement Friday.
ABC News' Trish Turner contributed to this report.