Former President Donald Trump caused a stir among Republicans on Friday by criticizing President Joe Biden’s claims about the COVID-19 vaccine. Trump took credit for expediting their rollout during the height of the pandemic.
During Biden’s State of the Union address, Trump, the leading candidate for the GOP in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, utilized his own social media platform, Truth Social, to provide live commentary. As the two politicians are expected to go head-to-head in a rematch of the 2020 election, Trump took the opportunity to criticize Biden’s speech. Biden covered a wide range of topics in his address, including the economy, reproductive rights, foreign policy, and assistance to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Additionally, he highlighted the progress made by his administration in overcoming the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic no longer dictates our lives,” declared President Biden. “The vaccines that rescued us from COVID are now being utilized to combat cancer, transforming setback into triumph. This is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the American people.”
He also expressed displeasure with Biden claiming credit for ending the pandemic, while using the president’s exact words.
In a recent Truth Social post, the author expressed a sense of triumph over the pandemic, stating that it no longer holds control over our lives. The post highlighted the significant role of vaccines in not only saving us from COVID but also in the fight against cancer. The author emphasized the efficiency of the vaccine approval process, comparing the nine-month timeframe for COVID vaccines to the potential twelve-year timeline it could have taken. This post has garnered over 22,000 likes, showcasing the positive response it has received.
The White House was contacted by Newsweek via email for comment.
“The level of anger I feel about this is beyond measure,” expressed Tracy Beanz, editor-in-chief of UncoverDC, in a heartfelt statement on Friday.
Commentator Matt Kibbe pointed out that many of the aspects that incite anger towards the authoritarian government’s response to the pandemic can be traced back to the Trump administration. It is important to remember that President Biden has essentially reinforced and intensified these policies.
Criticism of Trump’s promotion of vaccines wasn’t limited to conservatives alone.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an independent candidate running for president and known for his skepticism of vaccine efficacy, criticized Trump’s post.
In a recent post on X, the author expressed concern over Donald Trump’s lack of learning from his mistakes during the Covid era. The author pointed out that Trump fails to acknowledge the limited effectiveness of the warp speed vaccine, as it is now being recommended for seniors to receive a ninth shot. Furthermore, the author highlighted the documented cases of harm caused by the vaccine, particularly in innocent children and adults who are experiencing myocarditis, pericarditis, and brain inflammation.
During his presidency, Trump, who himself contracted COVID, repeatedly urged Americans to explore the purported benefits of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, as a potential alternative to vaccines produced by major pharmaceutical companies.
However, he has also somewhat shifted his stance when it comes to the effectiveness of vaccines provided by companies such as Pfizer.
In an interview with conservative podcast host David Brody in June 2023, the former president claimed that his administration’s “Operation Warp Speed” could have potentially saved 100 million lives globally by rapidly developing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.
“I successfully secured approval for a measure that has unquestionably saved countless lives,” Trump stated, skillfully evading any anti-vaccine discourse.
During an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier in the same month, Trump openly acknowledged that it is not ideal for a Republican to discuss the COVID vaccine.
The connection that Biden made between the COVID vaccines and cancer has faced criticism. However, a fact-check by Newsweek revealed that the mRNA technology utilized in the development of the COVID vaccines is now being explored in trials aimed at treating various types of cancers.
In August of last year, the White House made an announcement regarding the allocation of $24 million in funding. This funding would be used, among other things, to investigate the potential of mRNA vaccination technology in the field of cancer treatment.