President Trump on Tuesday defended his use of hydroxychloroquine in an attempt potentially to ward off the coronavirus, saying the unproven COVID-19 drug « gives you an …
President Trump on Tuesday defended his use of hydroxychloroquine in an attempt potentially to ward off the coronavirus, saying the unproven COVID-19 drug « gives you an additional level of safety. »
Trump, who revealed Monday that he’s taking the anti-malaria drug to prevent coronavirus, much to the shock of the medical community, bashed a scientific study warning of the dangers of hydroxychloroquine as a personal assault on him.
« It was a Trump enemy statement, » Trump said on Capitol Hill Tuesday after lunching with GOP senators.
He didn’t specify the name of the study but said the participants were in « bad shape » and « almost dead. »
Trump appeared to refer to a study of veterans hospitalized with COVID-19 that found those taking hydroxychloroquine had a higher rate of death than those who did not.
He also hit back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who said Trump shouldn’t take the unproven drug especially given his age and weight, which she referred to as « morbidly obese. » At the start of the news conference, Trump declined to respond to Pelosi’s remarks, saying she’s a « waste of time. » But by the end of the less than seven-minute press gaggle, Trump punched back.
« Pelosi is a sick woman. She’s got a lot of problems — a lot of mental problems, » Trump said.
As for hydroxychloroquine, Trump said individuals will have to make up their own minds about taking the drug, but he argued « it doesn’t hurt people.
