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Coronavirus: Outcry after Trump suggests injecting disinfectant as treatment

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US President Donald Trump has been lambasted by the medical community after suggesting research into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

He also appeared to propose irradiating patients' bodies with UV light, an idea dismissed by a doctor at the briefing.

Another of his officials had moments earlier said sunlight and disinfectant were known to kill the infection.

Mr Trump's own public health agencies warn against bleach as a medicine.

What did President Trump say?

During Thursday's White House coronavirus task force briefing, an official presented the results of US government research that indicated coronavirus appeared to weaken more quickly when exposed to sunlight and heat.

The study also showed bleach could kill the virus in saliva or respiratory fluids within five minutes and isopropyl alcohol could kill it even more quickly.

William Bryan, acting head of the US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate, outlined the findings at the news conference.

Why was top Republican likened to Marie Antoinette?

While noting the research should be treated with caution, Mr Trump suggested further research in that area.

"So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous - whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light," the president said, turning to Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response co-ordinator, "and I think you said that hasn't been checked but you're going to test it.

"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," the president continued.

"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?

"So it'd be interesting to check that."

Pointing to his head, Mr Trump went on: "I'm not a doctor. But I'm, like, a person that has a good you-know-what."

'What I fear the most is not being able to survive'
The new house rules of my life under lockdown
He turned again to Dr Birx and asked if she had ever heard of using "the heat and the light" to treat coronavirus.

"Not as a treatment," Dr Birx said. "I mean, certainly, fever is a good thing, when you have a fever it helps your body respond. But I've not seen heat or light."

"I think it's a great thing to look at," Mr Trump said.

A journalist at the briefing questioned whether Mr Trump's off-the-cuff remarks could spread dangerous disinformation to Americans.

What's the reaction?

Doctors warned the president's idea could have fatal results.

Pulmonologist Dr Vin Gupta told NBC News: "This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it's dangerous.

"It's a common method that people utilise when they want to kill themselves."

Kashif Mahmood, a doctor in Charleston, West Virginia, tweeted: "As a physician, I can't recommend injecting disinfectant into the lungs or using UV radiation inside the body to treat COVID-19.

"Don't take medical advice from Trump."

John Balmes, a pulmonologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, warned that even breathing fumes from bleach could cause severe health problems.

He told Bloomberg News: "Inhaling chlorine bleach would be absolutely the worst thing for the lungs. The airway and lungs are not made to be exposed to even an aerosol of disinfectant.

"Not even a low dilution of bleach or isopropyl alcohol is safe. It's a totally ridiculous concept."

Mr Trump has previously hyped a malaria medication, hydroxycloroquine, as a possible treatment for coronavirus, though he has stopped touting that drug recently.

This week a study of coronavirus patients in a US government-run hospital for military veterans found more deaths among those treated with hydroxychloroquine than those treated with standard care.

Reacting to the president's remarks on Thursday evening, Joe Biden, his likely Democratic challenger in November's White House election, tweeted: "UV light? Injecting disinfectant? Here's an idea, Mr President: more tests. Now. And protective equipment for actual medical professionals."

Only this week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to be careful with cleaning products as sales of household disinfectants soar amid the pandemic.

"Calls to poison centres increased sharply at the beginning of March 2020 for exposures to both cleaners and disinfectants," found the agency's weekly morbidity and mortality report.

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against ingesting disinfectants, citing the sale of bogus miracle cures that contain bleach and purport to treat everything from autism to Aids and hepatitis.

The agency's website says: "The FDA has received reports of consumers who have suffered from severe vomiting, severe diarrhoea, life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration, and acute liver failure after drinking these products."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52407177
 
The man continues to excel in the field of Moronics.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just going to put this out there to see who wants to defend this approach to “science.” Ready... set... GO!!! <a href="https://t.co/kGBJZWxWhR">pic.twitter.com/kGBJZWxWhR</a></p>— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/NC5PhilWilliams/status/1253481209553981440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CNN spelling out Donald Trump’s suggestions for tackling coronavirus and then making it clear that under no circumstances should anyone follow them may just be the most jaw-dropping and surreal bit of broadcast news I have ever witnessed <a href="https://t.co/kM6e5zvoDC">pic.twitter.com/kM6e5zvoDC</a></p>— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) <a href="https://twitter.com/SachinNakrani/status/1253460240303087616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This guy needs to lay off whatever the heck it is he is on.. LSD/ crack cocaine/ weed.. whatever
 
White House hits out at media over disinfectant comments

The White House says the media has "irresponsibly" taken President Donald Trump's comments on injecting disinfectant into the human body to treat coronavirus "out of context".

At a briefing on Thursday, Trump hypothesised about using disinfectants or ultraviolet light inside the body as a treatment. His comments which have been widely criticised by doctors.

Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said: "President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment, a point that he emphasised again during yesterday's briefing.

"Leave it to the media to irresponsibly take President Trump out of context and run with negative headlines."
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please don’t poison yourself because Donald Trump thinks it could be a good idea.</p>— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1253697753479331840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A leading disinfectant producer has issued a strong warning not to use its products on the human body after Donald Trump suggested they could potentially be used to treat coronavirus.

Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Lysol and Dettol, said "under no circumstance" should its products be injected or ingested.

President Trump faces a backlash over his comments at a briefing on Thursday.

Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

Even external exposure can be dangerous to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

Mr Trump's comments have been heavily criticised by doctors and have generated a huge online response. They have provoked hundreds of thousands of comments and caused well-known cleaning brands to trend on social media.

Reckitt Benckiser, which also owns the brands Vanish and Cillit Bang, said its products should not be administered "through injection, ingestion or any other route".

"Our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information," the company said in a statement.

What did President Trump say?

During Thursday's White House coronavirus task force briefing, an official presented the results of US government research that indicated coronavirus appeared to weaken faster when exposed to sunlight and heat.

The study also showed bleach could kill the virus in saliva or respiratory fluids within five minutes, and isopropyl alcohol could kill it even more quickly.

Mr Trump then hypothesised about the possibility of using a "tremendous ultraviolet" or "just very powerful light" on or even inside the body as a potential treatment.

"And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute," he said. "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 does a tremendous number on them, so it'd be interesting to check that," he said.

In a statement, the White House press secretary said the president had "repeatedly" told Americans to consult doctors about coronavirus treatment.

"Leave it to the media to irresponsibly take President Trump out of context and run with negative headlines," Kayleigh McEnany said.

His comments have dominated social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit since Thursday night.

Many compared his idea to a dangerous viral trend in 2018 where people ate Tide laundry detergent pods.

Lysol, which is one of the America's best known cleaning brands, has been named in tweets at least 125,000 times since the White House news conference.

Owners Reckitt Benckiser said they issued their statement on Friday "due to recent speculation and social media activity".

What's the medical reaction been?

Doctors warned that the president's suggestion could have fatal results.

"This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it's dangerous," Dr Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert, told NBC news. "It's a common method that people utilise when they want to kill themselves."

"Inhaling chlorine bleach would be absolutely the worst thing for the lungs," pulmonologist John Balmes told Bloomberg News. "The airway and lungs are not made to be exposed to even an aerosol of disinfectant.

"Not even a low dilution of bleach or isopropyl alcohol is safe. It's a totally ridiculous concept."

This is not the first time that Mr Trump's medical advice has generated controversy and criticism.

He has previously hyped a malaria medication, hydroxychloroquin, despite a lack of clinical evidence it helps treat Covid-19 and some concerns it can even be detrimental.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52411706
 
I bought a bottle of bleach after hearing Trump but read 'DO NOT DRINK' on the label. Confusing times.
 
[MENTION=732]Gilly[/MENTION] In your opinion what is Trump suggesting? I hope this is't something you'd consider?
 
The transport secretary was also asked about comments from Donald Trump suggesting disinfectants could potentially be used to treat coronavirus - and whether he had a message for the US president about spreading disinformation.

Grant Shapps refused to answer and instead deferred to deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries.

She said she didn't have a specific message for Trump but from a medical perspective she would not support the idea of using disinfectants as treatment.

“Nobody should be injecting anything and we should be using evidence-based and properly trialled treatments that we know will be safe," she told the press conference.

Reality Check has had a look at the president’s coronavirus claims - including that exposing patients' bodies to UV light could help treat the disease
 
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Trump is the male version of facebook anti vaccine Karens.... and then some!


:yk What a stupid guy.

I wonder if he has real basic high school education :facepalm:
 
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Here is a fuller report on the exchange that just took place in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and the small group of reporters gathered to see him sign the latest coronavirus financial rescue legislation.

From the pool:

Reporter: Can you clarify your comments about injection on disinfectant?

POTUS [President of the United States]: I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen. Now disinfectant or doing this maybe on the hands would work. I was asking the question of the gentleman who was there yesterday, Bill [Bill Bryan, the acting homeland security undersecretary for science and technology], because when they say that something will last three to four hours or six hours, but if sun is out, or if they use disinfectant, it goes away in less than a minute. Did you hear about this yesterday?

POTUS: When I was asking a sarcastic — a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside, 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 a reporter.

Reporter: But you were asking your medical experts to look into it.

POTUS: To look into whether or not sun — and disinfectant on the hands — but whether or not sun can help us. Because, I mean he came in yesterday and he said they’ve done a big study. This is a study. This isn’t where he hasn’t done it. This is where they’ve come in with a final report that sun has a massive impact negatively on this virus. In other words, it does not live well with humidity and it doesn’t live well with sun, sunlight, heat. It doesn’t live well with heat and sun and and disinfectant. And that’s what I brought up, and I thought that was clear.

Jeff Mason [Reuters journalist]: Just to follow up on the comments from yesterday you said you were being sarcastic, but some people may have misunderstood you. Do you want to just clarify?

POTUS: I wish they […]

Jeff Mason: Do you want to clarify to Americans if you don’t want people to think that?

POTUS. Yes. I do think that disinfectant on the hands could have a very good effect. Now, Bill is going back to check that in the laboratory. You know, it’s an amazing laboratory, by the way. It’s amazing the work they do. So, he’s going to check because a hard surface. This is a hard surface I guess maybe depending on whose hand you’re talking about, right? But this is a hard surface and disinfectant, disinfectant has an unbelievable — it wipes it out. You saw it? Sun and heat, and humidity and you wipe it out. And this is from tests — they’ve been doing these tests for a number of months. And the result — so then I said, ‘Well, how do we do it inside the body or even outside the body with the hands and disinfectant I think would work.’ He thinks it would work. When you use it when you’re doing your hands. I guess that’s one of the reasons they say wash your hands, but whether it’s washing hands or disinfectant on your hands, it’s very good. So, they’re going to start looking at that. And there is a way of, you know, if light — if sun, sun itself that sun has a tremendous impact on or kills it like in one — it goes from what was it? Hours to like one minute instead.

So, I said you got to go back and look, but I’d like them now to look as it pertains to the human body. Not just sitting on a railing or sitting on a wall. I’d like to look as it pertains because maybe there’s something there. They have to work with — I’m not a doctor. They have to work with their doctors. but maybe there is something to light, and the human body, and helping people that are dying.

Jeff Mason: Just to clarify: You’re not encouraging Americans to inject disinfectant?

POTUS: No. Of course not…It was said sarcastically. It was put in the form of a question to a group of extraordinary hostile people. Namely, the fake news media.

Jeff Mason: Some doctors felt you needed to clarify that after your comments.

POTUS: Of course, all they had to do was see just — you know the way it was asked. I was looking at you.

Jeff Mason: No you weren’t sir. I wasn’t there yesterday.

Weijia Jiang: You were looking at Dr. Birx.

POTUS: What’s that?

Weijia Jiang: You were looking at Dr. Birx.

POTUS: I was looking at Bill. I was looking at the doctor. I was looking at some of the reporters. I don’t know if you were there. Were you there?

Weijia Jiang: I was there and I watched you ask her.

POTUS: You were there. You were there. You I never forget.

Jeff Mason: I wasn’t there yesterday.

POTUS: You were not?

Jeff Mason: No sir.

POTUS: Yeah. I didn’t think you were there.
 
Not that easy Mr. Trump...


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEW: Just now in the Oval Office the President said he asked if people should inject disinfectant sarcastically. <br><br>When I pointed out he asked the medical experts to look into it, he denied it and said it was only a question meant for reporters. <br><br>But he was asking Bill Bryan: <a href="https://t.co/Q49HkfNZ2A">pic.twitter.com/Q49HkfNZ2A</a></p>— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) <a href="https://twitter.com/weijia/status/1253731307915489281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
yup...Kill the virus by shutting down the organs...:23:

Good God...I am not a doctor to comment but do have a little bit of common sense. Also, sarcasm has a time and place. One can not walk into a cancer treatment clinic and start suggesting sarcastic treatment. He still thinks I guess that it is no more than a worst form of flu.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I can’t believe I have to say this, but please don’t drink bleach.</p>— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1253751812194070529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In times of unprecedented stress , Trump is doing an excellent job to intermittently divert focus away from stress. It works.
 
The US state of Maryland has sent out an emergency alert after receiving more than 100 calls to the state's emergency hotline about the use of disinfectant related to the coronavirus.

“We have received several calls regarding questions about disinfectant use and Covid-19,” the state's emergency agency wrote on Twitter. "This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route.”

The suggestion from President Trump that disinfectant could be used inside the body to treat the virus has been rejected extensively by scientists and medical experts. Trump later defended his comments, saying they were "sarcastic".

Maryland has 16,616 confirmed cases to date, with 798 deaths.
 
What an absolute idiot. I still hope he wins in 2020 and beats Biden though
 
[MENTION=732]Gilly[/MENTION] In your opinion what is Trump suggesting? I hope this is't something you'd consider?

I thought it was funny, sometimes the media dont know when they are being trolled and its hilarious to see people lose their rag over it.
 
Irrespective of trump suggesting this or media taking it wrong, this guy has no business of speaking about such things on this platform so irresponsible. hopefully the American public don’t get mislead in doing some harmful things
 
[MENTION=732]Gilly[/MENTION] In your opinion what is Trump suggesting? I hope this is't something you'd consider?

I thought it was funny, he is so good at trolling the media and I guess a lot of gullible people will fall for it too.
 
I thought it was funny, sometimes the media dont know when they are being trolled and its hilarious to see people lose their rag over it.

I find it hilarious when people try to find some deeper meaning to what Trump says :)) you need to be of quite low intelligence yourself to think that he is intelligent
 
Irrespective of trump suggesting this or media taking it wrong, this guy has no business of speaking about such things on this platform so irresponsible. hopefully the American public don’t get mislead in doing some harmful things

If and I say if there are people that are so stupid that they watch a news show and then take medical advice from that without visiting a doctor its probably gods way of trimming dead wood from the population.

Seriously think about it, If Trump said that if you jump off a cliff it will prevent you from coronavirus then thousands and thousands of people are going to go out and jump off cliffs.

If I was Trump I would tell people the only way to stop the virus is for democrats to vote for him, it looks like they would be, as everyone here thinks, stupid enough to vote for him thinking they are killing the virus.
 
He thinks once 100,000 American are dead the corona virus will disappear and he wants to reach the 100,000 figure sooner than later, hence trying different ways to get there.
 
I thought it was funny, he is so good at trolling the media and I guess a lot of gullible people will fall for it too.

Finally we agree, Trump is funny .

That Dr Brix needs a sense of humour , sure you will agree again with me .
 
Finally we agree, Trump is funny .

That Dr Brix needs a sense of humour , sure you will agree again with me .

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone, we all have different opinions. Apparently god judges you on how you respect someone with a different opinion to you.
 
If and I say if there are people that are so stupid that they watch a news show and then take medical advice from that without visiting a doctor its probably gods way of trimming dead wood from the population.

Seriously think about it, If Trump said that if you jump off a cliff it will prevent you from coronavirus then thousands and thousands of people are going to go out and jump off cliffs.

If I was Trump I would tell people the only way to stop the virus is for democrats to vote for him, it looks like they would be, as everyone here thinks, stupid enough to vote for him thinking they are killing the virus.

By now everyone will know that trump does lot of sarcastic comments.
Whether it’s needed in middle of pandemic with people dying and at a time when everyone is looking for strong leadership, you decide
 
By now everyone will know that trump does lot of sarcastic comments.
Whether it’s needed in middle of pandemic with people dying and at a time when everyone is looking for strong leadership, you decide

Do we need a media that is supposed to be reporting on the virus taking things out of context so they can run negative stories about the President. The media has covered themselves in excrement on this issue.
 
Oh Lord...then we have clowns defending his statement. There is a limit to defense before sounding completely out of whack :snack:
 
There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone, we all have different opinions. Apparently god judges you on how you respect someone with a different opinion to you.

You sound like those dim Pakistanis who would defend their political parties /politicians at any extent. Trump should not be giving his opinions on sensitive matters that he knows nothing about. Leave it to the experts.
 
What an absolute idiot. I still hope he wins in 2020 and beats Biden though

Idiot? He beat the media mafia and rose to become the president of the USA. He might be wrong on many fronts but he’s a smart guy. You have to laugh at some of the outrage when he was in his election campaign but because he was smart with his agenda he won.
 
Idiot? He beat the media mafia and rose to become the president of the USA. He might be wrong on many fronts but he’s a smart guy. You have to laugh at some of the outrage when he was in his election campaign but because he was smart with his agenda he won.

I didn’t laugh. I wondered what had gone wrong with the USA that it saw fit to elect someone totally unsuited to high office.

He has no public service ethic. He became Present through self-aggrandisement.

His uneducated fan base will not shrink because he has done such a good corporate hypnosis job on them. But the more utter idiocy he spouts, the more floating voters he will lose to Biden.
 
White House discussing Trump step back from briefing

There are moves to scale back Donald Trump’s public presence on the US’s coronavirus response, the AP reports.

There have been discussions within the White House about changing the format of the briefings to curtail the president’s role, according to four White House officials and Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

The briefings often stretch well beyond an hour and feature combative exchanges between Trump and reporters.

Trump was angry after a day of punishing headlines Friday, largely about his comment at the previous evening’s briefing wondering if it would be helpful to inject disinfectant into people to fight the coronavirus.

That idea drew loud warnings from health experts who said the idea was dangerous and sharp criticism from Democrats.

Trump did answer questions from reporters earlier Friday and claimed that his suggestion about disinfectant had been sarcastic.”

That doesn’t square with a transcript of his remarks.

For weeks, advisers have been urging the president to scale back his appearances at the briefings, saying that he should come before the cameras only when there is major news or a positive development to discuss, according to the officials.

Otherwise, they suggested, he should leave it to Vice President Mike Pence and health officials to take the lead.

Trump has been reluctant to cede the spotlight at the briefings, which are the closest thing he currently has to his beloved political rallies.

Source Guardian
 
I didn’t laugh. I wondered what had gone wrong with the USA that it saw fit to elect someone totally unsuited to high office.

He has no public service ethic. He became Present through self-aggrandisement.

His uneducated fan base will not shrink because he has done such a good corporate hypnosis job on them. But the more utter idiocy he spouts, the more floating voters he will lose to Biden.

Gone wrong with the USA? What about the leaders prior to him? Where they any better?

The public have to choose a leader from one of two parties - they call this democracy- they call this choice. It is funny to me how people think Hilary would have done anything different or if Biden will.

All of them are puppets and last time around he was a much smarter puppet.

You throw the word uneducated in to make a point. Are the uneducated not people with rights? Many farmers, cleaners, restaurant staff, security and numerous other hard working people are doing what they do and with or without choice. Are they not people? Regardless if that’s how low you have to drop to make a point then it just shows how you’ve got nothing of value to add.
 
Last edited:
An unusually high number of New York city residents contacted city health authorities over fears that they had ingested bleach or other household cleaners in the 18 hours after President Donald Trump’s suggested that injecting such products could cure coronavirus, the New York Daily News reported.

The Poison Control Center, a subagency of the city’s Health Department, managed a total of 30 cases of possible exposure to disinfectants during the period, a spokesman told the newspaper. During the same period last year, the agency handled only 13 similar cases.

Of the cases reported between Thursday and Friday, nine were specifically about possible exposure to Lysol, while ten were in regards to bleach and 11 about household cleaners in general, the spokesman said.

During the same period last year, there were no cases reported of Lysol exposure.
 
And I propose the first subject of the trial - Donald J Trump !
 
The media has covered themselves in excrement on this issue.

And a President suggesting trialling injections of cleaning fluid as a coronavirus cure in front of the entire world hasn't covered himself in excrement ?

Let me know how the results of the trial pan out !
 
While the US president has apparently suggested that transfusions of disinfectant could be used to cure coronavirus, in the UK it has emerged that British armed forces are to be given insect repellant to protect them against Covid-19 infection.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed on Friday that it plans to buy stocks of a product containing a lemon eucalyptus oil extract called citriodiol. But questions remain over its effectiveness, with British officials refusing to reveal any evidence it would work, writes Guardian reporter Kevin Rawlinson.
 
Trump leaves news briefing without taking questions

US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence left Friday's coronavirus taskforce briefing without taking questions from reporters.

The president allowed just a brief question earlier in the briefing to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Stephen Hahn. But after the president and vice president finished their remarks they left the briefing room as reporters yelled questions.

Trump has used the question-answer session of the briefing to regularly deride reporters and news networks when he doesn't like what was asked.

The lack of a question session comes a day after Trump was denounced by the scientific and medical community after he suggested disinfectant and ultraviolet light could possibly be used as a treatment for the coronavirus.

Answering a small handful of questions from reporters earlier on Friday as he signed an economic relief package, Trump said he was being sarcastic when he made the suggestion.
 
A new historic low, in a presidency of historic lows.

He’s an absolute melt.

Despite everything I still think he will win re-election.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately. They get record ratings, & the American people get nothing but Fake News. Not worth the time & effort!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1254168730898173953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
White House suspends daily coronavirus briefings, says they will resume with new focus

The White House has suspended daily coronavirus task force briefings but said they will resume later in the week as the focus shifts to the economic reopening phase in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The pause in the briefings follows a tumultuous few days after the Republican president's musings on Thursday on whether injecting disinfectants might be a treatment for Covid-19.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters the briefings might have a new look and a new focus.

“But I would not read into anything that said we see them as negative because in fact we think that they have been a very positive, helpful opportunity for the president to speak to the American people,” she said outside the White House.
 
President Donald Trump has said he "can't imagine why" US hotline calls about disinfectant have risen after he suggested injecting the substance to treat coronavirus.

The governors of Michigan and Maryland on Sunday blamed the president for the spike in such calls.

Following heavy criticism from medical professionals, Mr Trump said his remarks were made sarcastically.

Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

During Monday's Covid-19 news conference, a reporter noted that the state of Maryland's emergency hotline had received hundreds of calls in recent days seeking guidance about Mr Trump's comments.

"I can't imagine why," the president said, moving quickly on. "I can't imagine that."

When asked whether he took responsibility at all for the increase in calls, Mr Trump replied: "No, I don't."

More US states begin lifting virus lockdown orders

Last week, the Maryland governor's office said it had issued a statewide alert warning against ingesting or injecting disinfectants following the president's remarks.

Mr Trump made the disinfectant remarks on Thursday, after an official presented the results of US government research that showed Covid-19 could be killed in minutes by bleach.

"I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute," Mr Trump said. "And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?"

On Friday afternoon, Mr Trump told journalists: "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen."

During Monday's Rose Garden press conference, Mr Trump was also asked whether he would delay the presidential election in November.

"I never even thought of changing the date of the election," he said. "Why would I do that?"

Former US Vice-President Joe Biden, Mr Trump's presumptive Democratic opponent, said last week he thought Mr Trump would "try to kick back the election somehow".

But Mr Trump told reporters the idea was "made-up propaganda".

"I look forward to that election," Mr Trump said.

Constitutional scholars have already noted that if a president wanted to change the timing of a White House election he would be unable to do so - even in an emergency - because the date is set by Congress.

Mr Trump was also asked by a reporter if a president who has lost more Americans over six weeks than died during the two decades of the Vietnam war deserved to be re-elected.

He said his administration had done an "unbelievable" job.

The total number of confirmed US Covid-19 cases is almost at one million. There have been over 55,000 deaths thus far.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52450692
 
He should just not try to defend his statement. It gets worse :))

well, believe it or not, he will get elected again in 2020. To be honest, of Joe Biden is the democratic nominee, I hope Trump does get elected.
 
He is beyond dreadful. A blithering idiot.

Unfortunately the guy that’s been put up against him in November, whilst still preferable, is not very bright or popular, and he may yet contrive to find a way to lose to him as Hillary did.

Agreed.
Of topic, but in your opinion, who could had been the ideal nominee to beat Trump in November.
 
Trump was forewarned about coronavirus threat: Report

US agencies 'repeatedly warned' president about COVID-19 in classified memos earlier this year, Washington Post reports.

US intelligence agencies repeatedly warned President Donald Trump about the threat of the novel coronavirus outbreak in more than a dozen classified briefings earlier this year, according to the Washington Post.

In a report published on Monday, the US newspaper cited current and former US officials, who revealed that Trump had been alerted in January and February, even as he continued to downplay the threat of the contagion that was first reported in China in December.

The repeated warnings were included in the president's daily brief, which for weeks tracked the worldwide spread of the virus, raising the alarm about its potential consequences, the Post said.

One official told the US newspaper that by mid to late January, the coronavirus was being mentioned more frequently as one of the report's core articles or as an "executive update".

The first case of coronavirus in the US was reported on January 21 and entry to travellers from China was blocked on February 2.

Trump resists pressure to curtail his coronavirus briefings (2:19)
As cases rose, travel from Europe was banned on March 11 and Trump declared a national emergency two days later.

Trump has faced increased scrutiny over his response to the outbreak in the US, which is nearing a million confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday.

The US also has the world's highest coronavirus death toll with more than 56,000 fatalities.

The Republican president has looked to shift the blame and attacked China as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) for their handling of the coronavirus.

Subsequently, Trump cut funding to the UN health agency - a step criticised by the UN and other world leaders.

A White House spokesman disputed claims that Trump was slow to take measures against the pandemic.

"President Trump rose to fight this crisis head-on by taking early, aggressive historic action to protect the health, wealth and well-being of the American people," Hogan Gidley told the Post.

"We will get through this difficult time and defeat this virus because of his decisive leadership."

An official at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which is responsible for the president's daily briefs, dismissed the repeated warnings as "not true", without elaborating.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...oronavirus-threat-report-200428063436487.html
 
Agreed.
Of topic, but in your opinion, who could had been the ideal nominee to beat Trump in November.

Bernie Sanders.

I am actually closer in terms of political views to Biden than I am Sanders, but as an overall package Sanders was much the better candidate.

Biden has won the nomination because he had the whole Democratic machine behind him, including Barack Obama and the American mainstream media.
 
Bernie Sanders.

I am actually closer in terms of political views to Biden than I am Sanders, but as an overall package Sanders was much the better candidate.

Biden has won the nomination because he had the whole Democratic machine behind him, including Barack Obama and the American mainstream media.

Left wing mainstream media were vicious with Sanders. Saw him get a fairer interview on Fox News.
 
Left wing mainstream media were vicious with Sanders. Saw him get a fairer interview on Fox News.

If there’s one thing that Trump is consistently correct about, it’s that the Democratic Party and the American mainstream media are like two cheeks of the same backside.

The Democratic Party wanted a centre-right candidate instead of a left-wing socialist candidate, and the media duly delivered this for them.

At least with the GOP you know you are going to get a hard right-wing capitalist, no strings attached.
 
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An official in southern Spain has apologised for spraying the local beach with diluted bleach in an attempt to protect residents from Covid-19, writes Ashifa Kassam in Madrid.

The picturesque fishing village of Zahara de los Atunes sent tractors equipped with sprayers along part of its beach last week as officials readied for the release of the country’s children after six weeks of confinement.

Spain has been among the countries hardest hit by coronavirus, with more than 23,800 deaths. The government imposed lockdown measures in mid-March, and this week the measures were loosened to allow children under the age of 14 daily outings of up to an hour.

The decision to disinfect the beach has incensed environmentalists. “It’s totally absurd,” said María Dolores Iglesias Benítez. “The beach is a living ecosystem. And when you spray it down with bleach, you’re killing everything you come across.”
 
He is beyond dreadful. A blithering idiot.

Unfortunately the guy that’s been put up against him in November, whilst still preferable, is not very bright or popular, and he may yet contrive to find a way to lose to him as Hillary did.

I was speaking to someone in California, she was unware Trump even said this and althought she voted for him, she promised not to inject it . lol

Serious question, how did such a clown become the leader of the a superpower? Democracy is real?
 
I was speaking to someone in California, she was unware Trump even said this and althought she voted for him, she promised not to inject it . lol

Serious question, how did such a clown become the leader of the a superpower? Democracy is real?
He wasn't doing bad before the virus and if we look beyond his stupidity his job performance was solid
 
He wasn't doing bad before the virus and if we look beyond his stupidity his job performance was solid

Wasnt he about to be impeached?

This is what I dont undestand about Americans, you have some very smart and brilliant people, yet you keep electing clowns like Bush and Trump? Does this nation have no shame having leaders who are the laughing stock of the world. Trump even got trolled by Kim Jung lol
 
We are living through absurdly ridiculous and sad times right now.. the leadership the world over is nothing to write home about.

In UK we have the leader, out of some totally misguided belief in the benign nature of COvid and trying to prove it to others, go around shaking infected people’s hand to fall sick, in the US, a ***** who think you can shove a UV light up your rear to feel better to Modi in India.. an uneducated, racist genocidal maniac to the NK dictator who is probably in a coma after drinking one too many and smoking one too many, in Russia we have a remnant of KGB, the OG communist who is gaming everyone..

The world is several devoid of good strong leaders who can lead by example!
 
He should just not try to defend his statement. It gets worse :))

well, believe it or not, he will get elected again in 2020. To be honest, of Joe Biden is the democratic nominee, I hope Trump does get elected.

Why?
 
I was speaking to someone in California, she was unware Trump even said this and althought she voted for him, she promised not to inject it . lol

Serious question, how did such a clown become the leader of the a superpower? Democracy is real?

Because for decades, American politics has become more and more toxic and divided by shrieking right wing pundits and the science-hating conservative Christian lobby.

Because the social media age has made people dumber and easier to manipulate. Conspiracy theory is becoming mainstream and critical thought is in retreat. The hand of Putin and his troll houses is strong, though he is not the only course of toxicity and corrosion. Big data is used to micro-target groups of poor whites to steer them to vote Trump and put poor blacks off voting at all. A social media blitz of 24 hours precedes a Trump rally then he pushes all the same buttons and makes it look like he is the solution to a set of both real and imaginary problems to poor aggrieved whites.

Because mainstream media has got lazy, seeking sensationalism to get clicks rather than revealing the truth. This created a truth vacuum in which Trump has grown.

So democracy has been hacked by plutocrats and neofascist forces within and without the USA.
 
We are living through absurdly ridiculous and sad times right now.. the leadership the world over is nothing to write home about.

In UK we have the leader, out of some totally misguided belief in the benign nature of COvid and trying to prove it to others, go around shaking infected people’s hand to fall sick, in the US, a ***** who think you can shove a UV light up your rear to feel better to Modi in India.. an uneducated, racist genocidal maniac to the NK dictator who is probably in a coma after drinking one too many and smoking one too many, in Russia we have a remnant of KGB, the OG communist who is gaming everyone..

The world is several devoid of good strong leaders who can lead by example!

Don’t forget Netanyahu. He has just blagged his way through to yet another prime ministerial term, but he is about to go on trial for personal corruption charges so serious that he is not actually allowed to hold any other appointed government jobs. He is also a fanatical ultra-Zionist who is determined to annex the West Bank.

On a separate note, to be fair to Putin he is very smart. Of course he has no interest in progress and peace the world over, but he is a brutally effective leader who - after decades of prior embarrassment - has successfully restored the role of Russian Premier to a level equivalent with the US President.
 
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Gargling with bleach? Americans misusing disinfectants to prevent coronavirus, survey finds

More than a third of Americans misused cleaners and disinfectants to try to prevent infection by the coronavirus, according to a survey taken shortly after President Donald Trump publicly asked whether injecting such products could treat COVID-19.

Washing food with bleach, using household cleaning or disinfectant products on bare skin, and intentionally inhaling or ingesting these products were some of the most commonly reported “high-risk” practices in a May 4 online survey of 502 U.S. adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

The survey’s lead author said it was undertaken following a “sharp increase” in calls to poison control centers for exposure to cleaners and disinfectants during the pandemic.

In late April, Trump asked scientists during one of his coronavirus task force briefings whether inserting disinfectant into the bodies of people infected with the virus might help clear the disease, horrifying health experts. Makers of household cleaners were compelled to urge people not to drink or inject their products.

Some 39% of people surveyed reported intentionally engaging in at least one high-risk practice not recommended by the CDC to prevent coronavirus infection, including using bleach to clean food or misting the body with a disinfectant spray. Four percent drank or gargled with diluted bleach solutions, soapy water or disinfectants.

A quarter of those surveyed reported having at least one adverse health effect during the previous month that they believed resulted from using these products.

The CDC suggested that official COVID-19 prevention messages that currently focus on hand hygiene and frequent cleaning should also include instructions on proper usage of cleaners and disinfectants, and storing chemicals out of reach of children.

Limitations to the survey included that it was for a single point in time and was opt-in rather than a random sampling, the agency said.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-h...t-coronavirus-survey-finds-idUKKBN23C2X1?il=0
 
Donald Trump walked out of a daily briefing after being questioned about his support for a doctor who reportedly claimed alien DNA is used in medical treatments.

The US president retweeted a video on Tuesday in which Dr Stella Immanuel claimed people didn't need to wear masks and there was a cure for COVID-19.

The licensed physician from Houston, Texas, is also reported to believe women can be impregnated by witches and demons in their dreams.

Mr Trump shared the clip as he posted a series of tweets advocating the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus.

Many studies have shown the drug is not effective and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently withdrew an order that allowed its use as an emergency treatment.

Immanuel says in the clip: "I came here to Washington DC to tell America nobody needs to get sick. This virus has a cure, it is called hydroxychloroquine."

She adds: "I know you people want to talk about masks, hello, you don't need a mask. There is a cure. I know you don't want to open schools - no, you don't need people to be locked down.

"There is prevention and there is a cure."

Dr Immanuel also claims to have successfully treated 350 people "and counting" with hydroxychloroquine.

She appeared with other doctors at an event organised by Tea Party Patriots Action, a group that has helped fund a pro-Trump committee.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube began removing the video from their sites because it includes misleading claims about the drug.

But dozens of versions of the video remain live on their platforms, with conservative news outlets, groups and internet personalities sharing it on their pages, where users have viewed them millions of times.

Twitter also took down a tweet from the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, which described one version of the video as a "must watch!!!".

His account was also put on a 12-hour timeout.

The president had removed his retweet and no action was taken against his account.

Mr Trump defended sharing the video after CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins pressed him over his support for the doctor at a daily briefing on Tuesday. The reporter said Dr Immanuel had "made videos saying that doctors make medicines using DNA from aliens".

The US president said: "She was on air along with many other doctors and they were big fans of hydroxychloroquine, and I thought that she was very impressive... she said that she's had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients.

"I thought her voice was an important voice but I know nothing about her."

US media has shared other footage which claims to show Dr Immanuel believes witches can impregnate people in their sleep.

She is heard saying in the clip: "It's what we call astral sex. That means this person is not really a demon or a Nephilim. It's just a human being that's a witch. And they astral project and sleep with people."

A Nephilim refers to a mysterious group of people who feature in the Hebrew Bible.

In another clip the doctor appears to suggest people can be impregnated by demons in their dreams.

She is also reported to have said a vaccine is being developed to make people immune to becoming religious.

Mr Trump's support for Dr Immanuel comes as he has questioned the credibility of the leading US infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci.

In recent nationally televised interviews, Mr Trump himself has described Dr Fauci as "a bit of an alarmist" and accused him of making "mistakes" in his coronavirus guidance to the American people.

Asked if he can do his job when Mr Trump continues to publicly question his credibility, Dr Fauci said he would press ahead "no matter what" because of the stakes involved.

The doctor has also rejected claims hydroxychloroquine is an effective coronavirus treatment.

"I go along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," he said. "The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in coronavirus disease."

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...en-dna-is-used-in-medical-treatments-12038448
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her," President Trump says of the video he retweeted where a woman claims masks don't work & there's a cure for Covid-19. Instead of explaining the contradiction given he's endorsed masks, Trump left the room. <a href="https://t.co/k8jKdrI1oz">pic.twitter.com/k8jKdrI1oz</a></p>— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins/status/1288236046187143169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, contradicting his own public health officials.

He said the malaria medication was only rejected as a Covid-19 treatment because he had recommended its use.

His remarks come after Twitter banned his eldest son for posting a clip promoting hydroxychloroquine.

There is no evidence the drug can fight the virus, and regulators warn it may cause heart problems.

On Wednesday Dr Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force, told the BBC that hydroxychloroquine was not effective against the virus.

"We know that every single good study - and by good study I mean randomised control study in which the data are firm and believable - has shown that hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of Covid-19," he said.

Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned against using the drug to treat coronavirus patients, following reports of "serious heart rhythm problems" and other health issues.

The FDA also revoked its emergency-use authorisation for the drug to treat Covid-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) says "there is currently no proof" that it is effective as a treatment or prevents Covid-19.

In other developments:

Coronavirus deaths in the US reached 149,250, according to Johns Hopkins University, as states in the south and west, including Florida and California, reported record daily death tolls. But Mr Trump claimed that large parts of the US were "corona-free"
The US biotech company Moderna said its experimental coronavirus vaccine had induced a strong immune response in a study on monkeys. It said the vaccine protected against infection in the lungs and nose, and prevented lung disease
Better known for making cameras, Kodak has moved into drug making and has just secured a $765m (£592m) loan from the US government. The fallen giant of the photography industry will make ingredients used in generic drugs to help fight the virus

What did Mr Trump say?

Studies commissioned by the WHO, the US National Institutes of Health and other researchers around the world have found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine - when used with or without the antibiotic azithromycin, as repeatedly recommended by President Trump - helps treat coronavirus.

Hydroxychloroquine was first touted by Mr Trump in March. Two months later he surprised journalists by saying he had begun taking the unproven medication to ward off the virus.

On Tuesday the president told reporters at the White House: "I can only say that from my standpoint, and based on a lot of reading and a lot of knowledge about it, I think it could have a very positive impact in the early stages.

"I don't think you lose anything by doing it, other than politically it doesn't seem too popular."

He added: "When I recommend something, they like to say 'don't use it'."

The comments were made as he prepared to visit Odessa, Texas for a fundraising event on Wednesday, despite concerns over surges of Covid-19 cases in the state.

Joe Biden, Mr Trump's presumptive rival in the November general election, criticised the trip. "Texas families are suffering. They're suffering because President Trump's inability to lead this country and combat the spread of Covid-19," Mr Biden said.

Why has hydroxychloroquine come up again?

President Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr were among social media users who shared video late on Monday of a group called America's Frontline Doctors advocating hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment.

Facebook and Twitter removed the content, flagging it as misinformation, but not before more than 17 million people had seen one of the clips.

Twitter also banned the US president's eldest son from tweeting for 12 hours as a penalty for sharing the clip. In the past, Twitter has declined to remove tweets by President Trump himself and other world leaders, citing public interest and newsworthiness.

The video in question showed doctors speaking outside the US Supreme Court building at an event organised by Tea Party Patriots Action, a group that has helped fund a pro-Trump political action committee.

In the video, Dr Stella Immanuel, a doctor from Houston, says she has successfully treated 350 coronavirus patients "and counting" with hydroxychloroquine.

The president said on Tuesday: "I think they're very respected doctors. There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it."

According to the Daily Beast, Dr Immanuel has previously claimed the government is run by "reptilians" and that scientists are developing a vaccine to stop people being religious, among other bizarre views.

America's Frontline Doctors' founder Simone Gold accused social media companies of censorship for removing the hydroxychloroquine video.

"Treatment options for COVID-19 should be debated, and spoken about among our colleagues in the medical field," she tweeted. "They should never, however, be censored and silenced."

Late on Monday, Mr Trump also retweeted several tweets critical of Dr Fauci. But in Tuesday's briefing the president denied he was criticising the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, insisting: "I get along with him very well."

Asked about hydroxychloroquine earlier on Tuesday, Dr Fauci said the medication was not an appropriate treatment for Covid-19.

He told ABC News' morning show that the drug was "not effective in coronavirus disease".

The US now has more than 4.3 million reported cases of Covid-19, and more than 149,000 deaths.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53575964
 
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