Encountering Donald Trump is not a normal experience no matter who you are. It is an automatic ticket to the Twilight Zone, even if you work at a world renowned medical facility like Walter Reed hospital. When Trump made a sudden appearance there on November 16 of last year, the first thing he did was whip out a sheaf of NDAs for one and all to sign. NBC News:
During a surprise trip to Walter Reed on Nov. 16, 2019, Trump mandated signed NDAs from both physicians and nonmedical staff, most of whom are active-duty military service members, these people said. At least two doctors at Walter Reed who refused to sign the NDAs were subsequently not permitted to have any involvement in the president’s care, two of the people said.
The reason for his trip last year remains shrouded in mystery.
The four people familiar with the process did not know whether, during the president’s most recent visit over the weekend, he had the same requirement for Walter Reed staff members who had not previously been involved in his care.
Now read this, because this is where it gets interesting.
Anyone providing medical services to the president — or any other American — is automatically prohibited by federal law from disclosing the patient’s personal health information without consent. The existing legal protection for all patients under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, raises the question of why Trump would insist that staff members at Walter Reed sign NDAs.
Why indeed? Unless something substantially beyond the norm is going on, or, maybe Trump just likes to have a feeling of power over one and all — or maybe both. All that we can say for sure, is that there is no transparency when it comes to Trump’s medical condition and never has been. Even his height and weight have been fudged over the years.
His current physician, Sean Conley, refuses to answer questions about when Trump last tested negative for coronavirus or whether contracting the virus caused him to develop pneumonia. These are basic questions and Conley dodges them on a regular basis.
“We’ve done routine standard imaging. I’m just not at liberty to discuss,” Conley told reporters Monday when asked whether the president had any pneumonia or inflammation in his lungs.
Conley’s written updates on Trump’s health have included the note “I release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump.”
Maybe the next question to Conley should be, “Did you sign an NDA? And why?” This is getting bizarre, even for Trump world. Next thing you know, Trump will associate Dr. Seuss in on his case and make him sign an NDA.
I wouldn’t sign that. Why would they?
I honestly have no idea. I thought I was shock proof, but I have to say this shocked me. And kudos to the two doctors who told Trump no. That’s the proper response.
Too bad they all didn’t refuse.
Cowardice. He’s destroying the planet. He’s destroyed 5500 children, including breastfeeding infants from their mothers, he has embraced the nazis, the worst mass murderers in history, he’s a sexual predator, he is an authoritarian, trying to end 240yrs of democracy, & he’s responsible for the virus running amok in america. There’s more.much,much more. Cowardice.
NDAs are actually a big part of my work life. And I’d NEVER sign anything that boneheaded for someone that contemptible.
NDAs for this are pretty much unenforceable.
There’s already a proposal to make NDAs illegal for anything but intellectual property.
None of these people are Trump employees. They’re FEDERAL workers and, for that reason, any NDA is completely worthless (as is every other NDA that’s been foisted on any person working in the White House during this current travesty of an administration).
Now, Trump can refuse to let anyone work with/for him if they refuse to sign the NDA but, legally, the NDAs are basically just scraps of paper (worth about as much as Confederate money).
Probably less as true confederate money does have some collectible value…maybe that’s it! Just maybe Trump is collecting these like Emmet Smith collected footballs after scoring touchdowns. Maybe Trump thinks they have collectible value and he will trade the lote of them for a small sum of money, say $421 Million.
For them to ever be valuable, they’d have to be rare. This is seemingly unlikely.
His Doctors can now add a new specialty to their CVs.
They are now spin doctors.