Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday blasted President Trump for initially suggesting that sunlight and an injection of disinfectant could be potential coronavirus treatments, saying the remarks were “consistent” with previous statements from the president that have been contradicted by public health experts.
Trump on Friday walked back his comments from Thursday’s press briefing following widespread backlash from doctors and the makers of Lysol and Clorox, who all warned of the dangers of ingesting disinfectant. The president claimed he was being “sarcastic” when he made the remarks Thursday.
Asked to respond during an interview with MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Pelosi compared Trump’s comments to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) arguing this week that states facing budget holes due to their coronavirus responses should declare bankruptcy.
“My reaction is that it was consistent with all of his other statements, which had no relationship to science, fact, evidence, data or appropriate way to proceed. So it was consistent. But it’s also consistent with Mitch McConnell saying let the states go bankrupt,” Pelosi said.
“They don’t believe in science and they don’t believe in governance. And that’s why it’s hard to get them to accept the evidence that we have a role to do something to meet the needs of the American people in a very direct and stronger way,” she added.
The White House on Friday morning argued that Trump’s remarks from the previous day had been taken out of context, saying “President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment.”
Hours later, during a bill signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump insisted that his comments weren’t meant to be taken literally.
“I was asking a sarcastic — and a very sarcastic question — to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,” Trump said. “But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters.”
Trump on Thursday discussed a presentation from a Department of Homeland Security official with findings that the coronavirus deteriorates faster when exposed to high levels of heat, humidity and ultraviolet rays.
“So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that hasn’t been checked but you’re going to test it,” Trump said. “And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside of the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you’re going to test that too. Sounds interesting.”
Trump then turned to discussion about disinfectants.
“And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds, it sounds interesting to me,” Trump said.
Trump has also faced criticism for touting two anti-malaria medications as possible treatments for the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration warned on Friday that those drugs should not be taken outside a hospital or clinical trial because of the risk of severe heart problems.