Former President Donald Trump swiped at certain unnamed politicians on Tuesday for not revealing their COVID-19 vaccine booster status.
After saying during an OAN interview that he’s been boosted, Trump compared himself to those whom he claimed haven’t been as transparent as he has about receiving the shot.
“I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed, and one of the questions was, ‘Did you get the booster?’ — because they had the vaccine — and they’re answering it like — in other words, the answer is ‘yes’ but they don’t want to say it because they’re gutless,” the ex-president said. “You gotta say it — whether you had it or not. Say it.”
Trump didn’t name anyone in particular, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) notably kept a tight lip in an incredibly clumsy way during an appearance on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures” several weeks ago when host Maria Bartiromo asked if he’d gotten the booster.
“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 replied.
Trump’s jab comes amid tension with the Florida governor over the 2024 election: Trump has reportedly been grumbling about DeSantis behind the scenes.
The governor is seen as a top contender for 2024, should he run, and has in some ways emulated Trump himself. DeSantis hasn’t said he’d step aside if the former president were to run again, reportedly provoking Trump’s ire.
Watch Trump’s OAN remarks:
His problem is after nearly seven years of pushing the dial to “11,” then where do you go from there? More hysterical screaming may no longer be working.
Trump does show a way to hammer these guys as gutless hypocrites. Ds should be doing the same. Ask them a simple question that is easy to answer as ‘yes’ or ‘no’, then let them squirm on TV. Rinse and repeat. Most people don’t like someone that can’t answer a simple question, it will help to focus everyone on their weaknesses for all, to see.
Credit where due: Trump’s right to say that people shouldn’t dance around this question.
That said, Trump was booed, by his own supporters, for encouraging people to get vaccinated/boosted. DeSantis et al. know which side their political bread is buttered on, at least on this issue. Unfortunately for their own supporters, and for the rest of us.
What, did he think they’d fawn over him? Sheesh.