Former President Trump in a recent interview tore into politicians who will not say whether they have had their vaccine or booster, deeming them 'gutless.'
'I've taken it, I've had the booster,' Trump said.
'Many politicians - I've watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was 'did you get the booster,' he continued. 'The answer is yes but they don't want to say it, because they're gutless. You gotta say it, whether you've had it or not, say it.'
'The vaccine has saved tens of millions of people throughout the world. I have had absolutely no side effects,' he said in an interview with OAN that aired Tuesday night.
Still, the former president said he does not think young people should get the jab.
'I don't think young, healthy people should take it. I think that, certainly these young kids their immune system is so strong,' he continued, before telling how his 15-year-old son Barron had Covid-19 for 'like two seconds.'
'The vaccine has saved tens of millions of people throughout the world. I have had absolutely no side effects,' he said in an interview with OAN that aired Tuesday night
DeSantis' office previously confirmed that he received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine last April
Trump's reference to watching politicians be interviewed could have been a veiled jab at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who refused to say whether he had had the booster during a December segment on Fox News' Morning Futures.
'I've done whatever I did, the normal shot, and that at the end of the day is people's individual decisions about what they want to do,' DeSantis said.
Asked by Politico this month whether DeSantis had taken a booster shot, his office again demurred.
'I am not privy to the governor's private medical decisions and am unable to share information about his booster status,' DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said.
'Governor DeSantis has consistently said that vaccination (and by extension, boosters) should be a personal choice, and anyone who has questions or concerns should consult with a healthcare provider.'
DeSantis' office previously confirmed that he received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine last April.
Tensions between the former president and the Florida governor have been simmering as eyes turn to 2024. The New York Times' Maggie Haberman reports that Trump has been telling a number of aides that he is not getting the deference he wants from DeSantis in the run-up to the next presidential election.
But Trump's condemnation of those who won't disclose their vaccine status covers much of the Republican caucus. As of July, nearly half of House Republicans refused to disclose their vaccination status, most of whom are staunch Trump acolytes like Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
Greene was permanently banned for Twitter after she posted what the social media giant deemed 'misinformation' about the vaccine.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has notably refused to disclose his vaccination status to his audience.
Trump in a Wednesday morning interview with NPR's Morning Addition said that he believes the pandemic will 'phase out,' regardless of whether more Americans get vaccinated.
'Do you think the pandemic will continue as long as millions of people do choose not to vaccinate?' host Steve Inskeep asked.
'I think it's going to phase out. You know, there are many people that have had it, if you look at the numbers ... the administration has to start giving credit to people that had the China plague — or call it whatever you want.'
Last month, Trump pushed back on conservative host Candace Owens' questioning of the vaccine's efficacy.
'People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.'
Trump was heckled by his own supporters in Dallas last month when he disclosed that he'd gotten a booster shot.
Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.'
Still, the former president said he does not think young people should get the jab
'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump.
Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell.
'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing.
Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said.
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