Screengrab via Fox News | YouTube
In an interview with One America News, Donald Trump appeared to take a shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The issue? DeSantis' refusal to say whether or not he's taken a shot.
The former president called out cowardly dodges from politicians who refused to go on record with whether or not they've received a COVID-19 booster. The dig came after DeSantis ducked a reporter's question on the matter in late December.
"I watched a couple politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, 'Did you get a booster?' Because they had the vaccine and they're answering like — in other words, the answer is 'yes' but they don't want to say it, because they're gutless," Trump told OAN this week.
TRUMP says “I've had the booster,” and says he’s seen politicians asked the same, but dodge.
— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) January 12, 2022
“The answer is yes, but they don't want to say it. Because they're gutless… Whether you had it or not. Say it.”
"The vaccine has saved tens of millions of people throughout the world." pic.twitter.com/LgFHT6l180
DeSantis spokesrep Christina Pushaw pointed out in a response to CNN that the former president didn't mention DeSantis by name.
"President Trump did not mention Gov. DeSantis in that interview, so I wouldn't want to make assumptions. Gov. DeSantis has always been clear about his position on COVID-19 vaccination and boosters: The shots should be available to all but mandated for none, and the choice to get a vaccine or booster is an individual's private medical decision," Pushaw said.
DeSantis has spent much of the last year railing against vaccination requirements and mitigation efforts while boosting alternative treatments for people who have already contracted the virus. He stuck by those moves even as the Delta wave swept the state and lead to previously unseen numbers of deaths. He remains committed to his individualist view even as an Omicron-fueled wave is increasing hospitalizations exponentially in the state.
During the interview on Tuesday night, Trump showed no such reluctance around vaccination.
"The fact is that I think the vaccines saved tens of millions throughout the world," he said. "I’ve had absolutely no side effects.”
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