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:
Biden campaign to release results of every COVID-19 test
The Biden campaign said Saturday it will release the results of every COVID-19 test the Democratic presidential candidate takes, including negative ones -- an increase in transparency over its previous testing guidance.
“Vice President Biden is being tested regularly, and we will be releasing the results of each test,” campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Previously, the campaign had said it would release any positive tests.
Biden took two COVID-19 tests on Friday morning after Trump revealed that he was positive for the virus. Both were negative. On Saturday, Biden told pool reporters he had not been tested that day, but would be tested Sunday morning.
A source familiar with the campaign’s testing procedures told ABC News that the campaign has been ramping up testing as Biden's travel has increased.
Amid concerns about Biden's possible exposure to COVID-19 at this week's debate, Bates said the candidate "was never in close contact with President Trump or members of his team or family during the debate."
"When he was not on the debate stage, he wore a mask," he added.
ABC News' Molly Nagle contributed to this report.
Trump speaks from hospital: 'I feel much better now,' next few days 'the real test'
In his second virtual address in two days since his COVID-19 diagnosis, Trump said he was feeling "much better" and that the next few days will be "the real test."
"I came here, wasn't feeling so well. I feel much better now. We're working hard to get me all the way back," Trump said in the four-minute video, filmed at the Walter Reed Medical Center, where the president has been for the past 24 hours.
"I think I'll be back soon," he said while sitting at a desk and dressed in a suit jacket.
Trump acknowledged the millions of people globally who have been affected by COVID-19 and said he was "fighting for them, not just in the U.S."
"We're going to beat this coronavirus, or whatever you want to call it, and we're going to beat it soundly," he said.
He said the next few days will be "the real test," and referred to COVID-19 therapeutics as "miracles."
"People criticize me when I say that," he said. "We have things happening that look like they're miracles coming down from God."
Trump updated that his wife, Melania Trump, is "doing well" and, being the younger of the two, is "handling it statistically like it's supposed to be handled."
"That makes me happy," he added.
Trump thanked the American people for their "almost bipartisan" support and world leaders for their condolences. He also thanked the doctors and nurses at the medical center "for the incredible job they've been doing."
Biden reluctantly takes aim at Trump administration over PPE, stresses mask use
Former Vice President Joe Biden criticized the White House's COVID-19 response in not providing adequate personal protective equipment for essential workers on Saturday.
During a virtual town hall hosted by the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Democratic presidential candidate said he was in a "little bit of a spot" because he didn't want to attack President Trump while he was battling COVID-19. But when asked about the administration's policies toward transportation workers and a lack of PPE provided to the essential workers, Biden said it was "unconscionable" that "so many transit employees still aren't provided enough PPE to keep you safe on the job" and that "states, cities and transit agencies had to bid against one another."
"If that's not the president’s responsibility, what the hell -- what the heck is his responsibility?" he later said.
At another point, Biden said he told some governors not to endorse him because he worried they would “pay a penalty” in terms of getting what they need from the federal government to be able to effectively combat the spread of COVID-19.
"I probably shouldn't say this but you know me," Biden said to the moderator, adding that he wasn't joking.
During the town hall, Biden also emphasized the need to use masks while riding public transit, saying it was "appalling" that anyone would "reject the chance to do the easiest thing possible to save lives."
"You wear a mask to protect the person next to you. You wear a mask to protect the bus driver," he said.
Biden joined the event from a studio his campaign constructed at the Queen Theater in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. The union was one of the first to endorse his presidential campaign.
ABC News' John Verhovek and Molly Nagle contributed to this report.
Chris Christie checks into hospital following COVID-19 diagnosis
Hours after announcing he had tested positive for COVID-19, former New Jersey governor and ABC News contributor Chris Christie said he had checked himself into a hospital.
"While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure," Christie tweeted.
Christie said he checked himself into Morristown Medical Center Saturday afternoon after consulting with his doctors.
"I am thankful for our hardworking medical professionals and look forward to coming home soon," he added.
Pence and Harris will be 12-feet apart at debate, as Pence continues to campaign as usual
Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., will be 12-feet apart on the debate stage in Salt Lake City Wednesday night, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, following a request from the Biden campaign to have more space between the candidates.
The Trump-Pence campaign had previously said it was open to putting more space between the vice presidential candidates for the seated debate, with Trump 2020 Communications Director Tim Murtaugh calling it "just a matter of moving farther apart at the table."
Following a negative COVID-19 test Saturday morning, the campaign announced Pence will return to the campaign trail the day after the debate in Salt Lake City, heading over to the battleground state of Arizona for a “Make America Great Again” event in Peoria.
Asked by ABC News Saturday if there would be any changes to health precautions at Pence’s future campaign events, the Trump campaign said it will go on as usual -- which means supporters will only be encouraged to follow health guidelines.
The campaign also continued its previously scheduled bus tour through Iowa Saturday, despite the president's hospitalization. According to a Republican source, there were no discussions on the ground about postponing the events.
Pence's physician in a memorandum Friday cleared him to “go about his normal activities,” citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that he was “not considered a close contact with any individuals who have tested positive for COVID, including President Donald J. Trump.”
However, Pence was among those in the Rose Garden for the Amy Coney Barrett announcement on Saturday (eight others who were there have tested positive for COVID-19) and he said he was with Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
ABC News' Molly Nagle, Avery Harper, Justin Gomez and Will Steakin contributed to this report.