Donald Trump says Americans are all praying for Boris Johnson

President Donald Trump offered his support for Boris Johnson after the UK prime minister was taken into intensive care in London on Monday.  

‘I want to send best wishes to a very good friend of mine, and a friend to our nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson,’ Trump said at his daily White House briefing. 

‘We are very saddened to hear that he was taken into intensive care this afternoon a little while ago. And Americans are all praying for his recovery.

‘He has been a really good friend pretty something special. Very strong. Resolute, he does not quit. Does not give up.’ 

Trump said he has asked two therapeutics companies working with the US government to ‘contact London immediately’ about assisting with Johnson’s treatment.  

Johnson was transferred to the ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital in London at around 7pm local time Monday – 11 days after he tested positive for COVID-19.  

The 55-year-old Conservative was conscious and did not require ventilation, but he was moved into intensive care in case he needs it later, his office said in a statement.  

Speaking at the White House hours later, Trump said that he had tapped two US drug companies to liaise with Johnson’s office about the prime minister’s care.  

‘We have made tremendous progress on therapeutics. I had a fantastic call today that I will be talking about a little bit later,’ Trump said. 

‘I have asked two of the leading companies – these are brilliant companies, they have come up with solutions and just have done incredible jobs – I have asked them to contact to London immediately.  

‘They speak a language that most people do not even understand – but I understand something that they have really advanced there, therapeutically, and that they have arrived in London already.

‘The London office has whatever they need. And we will see if we can be of help. We have contacted all of Boris’ doctors, and we will see what is going to take place. But they are ready to go.

Trump added: ‘But when you get brought into intensive care, that gets very, very serious with this particular disease. 

‘So, the two companies are there. And with what they are talking about, and it is rather complex, and has had really incredible results.

‘We are working with the FDA and everybody else, but we are working with London with respect to Boris Johnson.’

Trump was asked to clarify the treatment US drug companies were looking into for Johnson later in Monday’s White House briefing. 

‘It’s a very complex treatment of things they just recently developed and that they have a lot of experience with having to do with something else,’ Trump said.

While he stopped short of specifically naming the treatment, it’s believed he was referencing hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug Trump has repeatedly touted as a ‘game changer’ for coronavirus patients. 

‘They have already had meetings with the doctors, and we will see whether or not they want to go that route,’ Trump said. 

‘When you are in intensive care, it’s a big deal,’ he added. ‘So they [the drug companies] are there and they are ready.

‘They have everything with them, should it be needed. Hopefully it won’t have to be needed.

‘I found Boris to be a fantastic person, just like a fantastic, warm, strong, smart guy who loves his country. You’ll see that.

‘He fought for his country. Intensive care is big stuff.’

Another reporter then asked if the developments in Johnson’s case had affected the steps the Trump administration is taking to protect the president and vice president. 

‘I had my test a couple days ago. We are here. And here you are. So no, I don’t think so,’ Trump said. 

‘But I think we’ll probably – just because of questions like that – I think we’ll probably have quite a few tests. It’s not the worst idea. 

‘You know, this system of testing now so quick and so easy.’ 

The US currently leads the world in coronavirus cases, with more than 347,500 infections and at least 10,358 deaths as of Monday evening. 

Nationwide, a new case is reported roughly every three seconds.  

In the UK, more than 51,608 cases have been reported, including 5,373 deaths. A new case is reported roughly every 18 seconds.  

Johnson took a laid-back approach to addressing the coronavirus pandemic in his country in its early days – repeatedly downplaying the need for drastic measures such as social distancing.  

In early March he appeared to be on a mission to shake hands with people – despite global health guidelines – once revealing that he’d done so with hospitalized coronavirus patients.  

His rhetoric changed around March 16, when he publicly advised against mass gatherings.  

The UK finally shuttered nonessential businesses on March 20 – a week before Johnson tested positive for COVID-19. 

The prime minister subsequently began self-isolating at home while continuing to preside at daily meetings on the outbreak and releasing multiple video messaging urging Britons to heed social distancing guidelines.  

He was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital with ‘persistent’ coronavirus symptoms on Sunday.

Hours before he was moved to the ICU, Johnson tweeted that he was in good spirits and thanked the National Health Service for taking care of him.  

British health experts have appeared unanimous in their view that the PM’s admission to intensive care means he is ‘extremely sick’. 

Johnson has asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab to deputize for him ‘where necessary’, although it is understood Raab will not formally become a temporary prime minister. 

Speaking after the PM was moved to intensive care, Raab insisted that ‘government business will continue’ and said there is a fantastic ‘team spirit’ among ministers. 

He also reassured that the premier was ‘receiving excellent care’ and thanked the NHS medics who were treating him and other patients across Britain.