The "Trump will be dead in 48 hours" stories are meant to lower expecations.

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21. Here's the story that prompted that

(CNN) - President Donald Trump said in a video Saturday evening that he's "starting to feel good." His message, which was posted on Twitter, was just the latest in a string of contradictory and often misleading information about his diagnosis with Covid-19 and his condition since being transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center the day before.

An attempt by Trump's doctor earlier Saturday to reassure the public about his condition only created widespread confusion and concerns about transparency, as a source familiar with the President's health told reporters that the next 48 hours will be critical in determining how he fares.

"The President's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We are still not on a clear path to a full recovery," the source, whom the New York Times and the Associated Press identified as White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, told White House pool reporters after the briefing from his doctors.

Moments earlier on Saturday morning, the President's physician, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley, had offered an upbeat assessment of the President's condition stating that he was feeling well, that he had been "fever-free" for 24 hours and that his symptoms -- which included an "extremely mild cough," nasal congestion and fatigue -- "are resolving and improving." Conley was evasive about when and if Trump had received supplemental oxygen, saying, "He is not on oxygen."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/03/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-walter-reed/index.html