President Joe Biden felt well enough Tuesday to re-start his exercise regimen, but White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not know what that routine even was.
During the daily White House Press Briefing Tuesday, Jean-Pierre was asked by a reporter what Biden’s exercise routine was. Jean-Pierre laughed off the question, saying she “should have asked” Biden what his regimen was. White House physician Kevin O’Connor said in a memo to Jean-Pierre Tuesday that Biden felt good enough to begin his regular exercise routine again.
“What sort of exercise is he doing?” a reporter in the press pool asked.
“I knew that was gonna come!” Jean-Pierre said, laughing. “I knew, and I should have asked. I mean, look, I think it says a lot, and I spoke to Dr. O’Connor earlier today, that the president is feeling, you know, well. And we should be thrilled and wanting him to have that negative test. I’m sure you guys are waiting for that as well, so you can see him in person, that he is doing well enough to say that he wants to work out. I think it’s been reported in the past that he likes to do weights, and, you know, he likes to do the treadmill. I don’t think I’m sharing anything confidential here. But yeah, I think, it brought a smile to my face when I saw that he wants to work out.”
Press Sec. Karine Jean-Pierre is asked a hard-hitting question about what kind of exercise Biden is doing. pic.twitter.com/iDYMDZc8wL
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 26, 2022
Earlier in the briefing, Jean-Pierre said that Biden asked permission from O’Connor to resume his exercise regimen.
O’Connor said that Biden felt well enough to resume exercising in a memo to Jean-Pierre earlier on Tuesday. “President Biden completed his five-day course of PAXLOVID last night,” O’Connor wrote in the memo. “His symptoms have now almost completely resolved. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear. The President now feels well enough to resume his physical exercise regimen.”
O’Connor said that Biden would remain isolated Tuesday, as it was the fifth day of isolation recommended by the CDC.
O’Connor’s memo did not mention Biden’s specific regimen either. But The Hill notes that Biden is “known to enjoy riding a stationary bike.” A Washington Post report from 2021 said that Biden “begins his mornings with a workout that often includes lifting weights,” and he meets regularly with a trainer. The Post also noted that Biden exercised on both a traditional stationary bike and a Peloton during the 2020 campaign.
Biden said Monday that he expects to make a full recovery, and hopes to return to in-person work soon. “I’m feeling better every day,” Biden said during a press conference Monday. “I still have this, a little bit of a sore throat and a little bit of a cough. But it’s changing significantly. It’s now up in the upper part of my throat, actually it’s more around my nose than anything else. But they tell me that’s par for the course. And I think I’m on my way to full, total recovery, God willing,” he said.
“I hope I’m back to work in person by the end of this week,” he added.