Trump denies deceased 74-year-old caught COVID-19 at 'disastrous' rally despite timing
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has denied that 74-year-old man Herman Cain caught COVID-19 during his ‘disastrous' Tulsa rally.
Donald Trump is 'dangerous and easily manipulated' says niece
The US President’s rally in Tulsa, Florida was branded disastrous online after photos revealed a low turnout. Trump spoke to reporters shortly after. He said: “I don't think he did.” He told the media this as he left the White House Friday. On Thursday Mr Cain, at the age of 74, was pronounced dead after spending nearly a month in an Atlanta-area hospital fighting COVID-19.
Herman Cain was a former Republican party presidential candidate.
He tested positive for the coronavirus just nine days after appearing at Donald Trump’s June 20 Tulsa rally in Oklahoma.
A rally in which Mr Cain was photographed sitting in the tight confines, but not wearing a mask.
Mr Cain was also positioned near Oklahoma Governor, Kevin Stitt, who then later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Mr Stitt said he didn’t believe he contracted COVID-19 at the rally because he tested positive in mid-July.
Mr Stitt said: “I don't think there was any way it was at the president's rally. It's too long ago.”
Furthermore, the former Republican Presidential candidate tested positive within the timeframe that made it more likely he was infected at the rally.
READ MORE: US President faces calls to be removed from office over Tweet
His staff said in a statement there is “no way to know for sure how or where Mr Cain contracted the coronavirus”.
Staff said: “Cain travelled to several states throughout June.”
On top of announcing his death, Mr Cain’s staff deleted a tweet sent on the day he entered the hospital praising South Dakota for not mandating masks at Trump's Mt. Rushmore address before July 4 saying: “PEOPLE ARE FED UP!”
He was hospitalized on July 1.
DON'T MISS:
Donald Trump mocked over 'tiny' Florida speech crowd [INSIGHT]
US President faces calls to be removed from office over Tweet [EXPLAINED]
Iran uses first military satellite to photograph US base in Qatar [REVEALED]
Mr Cain, at the age of 74, was already in the vulnerable category for the virus due to his age.
On top of COVID-19, he was also a cancer survivor.
He was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2006, which had also spread to his liver.
President Trump talked about Herman Cain at the top of his Thursday press briefing, blaming the “China virus” for taking his friend.
At the same time, President Trump did now seem to acknowledge how Mr Cain might have caught the virus.
The President also tweeted a tribute to Mr Cain, including a picture of them both.
It was in 2019 during the spring that Mr Cain made a visit to the White House.
During that time period, Mr Trump wanted to nominate him to the Federal Reserve's board of governors.
Herman Cain ultimately pulled out of the nomination process.