Speaking outside the White House one day after he was released from his four-day stay in hospital, Trump begins by describing himself as “your favourite president”.

Congratulating doctors, nurses and health professionals across the USA for how they have fought against COVID-19, Trump said he didn’t feel “so hot” when he first went to Walter Reed Medical Centre – but “24 hours later I was feeling great”.

“I feel great, I feel like perfect. I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it, this was a blessing in disguise,” said Trump, who seemed to be referring to how he was able to take (among other things) an experimental cocktail of drugs after he contracted COVID-19.

Trump described it as a “cure”, while also acknowledging the company making it, Regeneron, has only labelled it a “therapeutic substitute“.

“It was unbelievable, I felt good immediately,” said Trump, adding he was giving “emergency use authorisation” to Regeneron’s product so it could be made available.

“I want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president, because I feel great.”