President Donald Trump defended his ongoing push for doctors to prescribe hydroxychloroquine to coronavirus patients on Sunday, despite criticism from the media.
CNN’s Jeremy Diamond repeatedly challenged President Trump during the White House press briefing for talking about the drug, despite doctor concerns that there is only anecdotal evidence of it working to fight coronavirus.
“Why not just let the science speak for itself? Why are you promoting this drug?” Diamond asked.
“I’m trying to save lives,” the president said, noting that the federal government was purchasing the drugs in mass quantities.
He admitted that hydroxychloroquine might not work, but he does not want to wait a year for clinical tests.
“If it doesn’t work, it’s nothing lost by doing it,” Trump said. “Nothing.”
The president answered several questions about hydroxychloroquine but ultimately repeated that it was worth trying.
“I don’t want to wait a year and a half to find out, and only CNN would ask that question,” he concluded. “Fake news.”