President Trump on Monday demanded drugmakers “justify” the effectiveness of their COVID-19 treatments as his administration grapples with internal disputes over vaccines and other health policies.
“It is very important that the drug companies justify the success of their various Covid drugs. Many people think they are a miracle that saved Millions of lives. Others disagree!” the president said.
“With CDC being ripped apart over this question, I want the answer, and I want it now,” he continued. “I have been shown information from Pfizer, and others, that is extraordinary, but they never seem to show those results to the public. Why not?”
“They go off to the next ‘hunt’ and let everyone rip themselves apart, including Bobby Kennedy Jr. and CDC, trying to figure out the success or failure of the drug companies covid work. They show me great numbers and results, but they don’t seem to be showing them to many others,” the president added.
“I want them to show them now, to CDC and the public, and clear up this mess, one way or the other! I hope Operation Warp Speed was brilliant as many say it was. If not, we all want to know about it, and why?”
Nine former CDC directors and acting directors on Monday criticized Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his leadership and effort to oust CDC Director Susan Monarez.
In a New York Times opinion piece, they warned that Kennedy’s changes at the agency were alarming.
Demetre Daskalakis, former head of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, claimed Thursday that Kennedy has not been briefed by agency experts on measles, COVID-19, or the flu.
“No one from my center has ever briefed him on any of those topics,” Daskalakis said on CNN, without explaining why the Kennedy, the HHS director, hadn’t been briefed.
“Perhaps he has alternate experts that he may trust more than the experts at CDC that the rest of the world regards as the best scientists in the areas,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trump left the White House in golf attire Sunday morning and headed to his country club in Northern Virginia as rumors spread on social media that he was experiencing severe health issues.
Wearing golf shoes, black pants, a black pullover, and a white “USA” hat, he departed in an SUV and arrived at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling shortly after 10 a.m., the New York Post reported.
“Great playing Golf with Jon Gruden — A really nice guy, and true character!” Trump wrote on Truth Social along with a photo of the former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach.
It was unclear if the photo of Trump golfing with Gruden was taken on Sunday, The Post reported.
The president’s brief break from public appearances this week fueled unfounded speculation on social media that he was either seriously ill or had died. All of which are totally false and completely unfounded.
Speculation began Friday after the White House released a blank Labor Day weekend schedule for the president. By then, it had been four days since Trump’s last public appearance — a Tuesday Cabinet meeting at the White House.
Hashtags like “#TrumpIsDead” and “#WhereIsTrump” trended on X during the president’s absence and blank public schedule. He was last seen Saturday heading to his golf club with his granddaughter Kai.
Vice President JD Vance said last week that Trump is in “incredibly good health” but stressed he is prepared to assume the presidency if required.
“Yes, things can always happen. Yes, terrible tragedies happen,” Vance told USA Today. “But I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term, and do great things for the American people.”