It would be good for President Donald Trump to issue a "reassuring message" to the country after his diagnosis with coronavirus, Rep. Michael Waltz said Friday.
"So many people are focused on the effect on politics," the Florida Republican told Fox News' Dana Perino. "I'm focused on the country and his role as the leader of the free world."
A message would reassure the country, its markets, and U.S. allies, said Waltz. It would also send a "very clear message to our adversaries," such as North Korea, Iran, China, and Russia, and remind them that United States' command authority is "absolutely intact."
"The nuclear forces, which (Trump) leads, are always on alert to defend the nation," Waltz added. "It's always worth remembering we have more people overseas, more men and women overseas, more men and women overseas in uniform than Canada, the U.K., and Australia combined."
Trump's most important role is as commander in chief, he added, and "we need to be very clear to our allies and adversaries that role is not altered one bit right now."
Waltz said he was at a rally with Trump in Florida last week, and noted that everyone around the president is tested for coronavirus and the president is tested every day.
"He doesn't like germs, just by nature, and he naturally keeps his distance," said Waltz. "The way they're doing the rallies now by airports, the plane pulls up, he's off, gives his speech, and he's back on. The notion that they weren't taking precautions is ridiculous."
It's also sad that there are people who are cheering the fact that the president and first lady are ill, said Waltz, because "his success is our success and the country's success. That's how we need to approach it."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.