Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s support of hydroxychloroquine makes him a “drug pusher.”
“He’s got to stop … We don’t want a drug pusher for president. We want somebody who takes that stage and speaks to the crisis in a way that is about bringing relief,” Harris told “The View,” in reference to Trump’s daily participation in the coronavirus task force news conferences from Washington.
Harris claimed that she has “no idea” why Trump continues to promote the drug that has been licensed since 1955 and has proven to be an effective remedy against malaria. (RELATED: Clinical Trial Raises Hopes That Malaria Drug Could Be Coronavirus Cure)
“But what I do know is this. It is a drug that has been proven to give relief from pain … to people with rheumatoid arthritis, people with lupus, and right now, I’m hearing all over the place, people are hoarding this drug,” she said, suggesting that the treatment is becoming a scare commodity for those “who need it to relieve their pain and to extend the quality of their life.”
“The president keeps taking the stage and, as opposed to what Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and medical health professionals are telling us, pushing this drug.”
(Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)
Others have criticized Trump for encouraging the use of the anti-malarial drug. “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski said Monday that President Donald Trump is promoting hydroxychloroquine because of a “financial tie.” (RELATED: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Says New York To Begin Trials For Malaria Drug Touted By Trump)
Fact-checker Snopes examined a New York Times article that also suggested that Trump could receive financial gain from widespread use of the the drug — saying that conclusion is “mostly false” because Trump’s stake in the product is so minuscule.
Joe Scarborough also asked on his MSNBC program why Trump was pushing “an unproven drug” as a potential cure for the coronavirus, saying hydroxychloroquine is ineffective, despite rising anecdotal evidence that it is bringing life-saving relief in the midst of the pandemic.