Donald Trump announced at a White House event on Monday that he has been taking the antimalarial medication hydroxychloroquine for “a couple of weeks” as a preventive measure against COVID-19.
But a lot of people don’t believe him. And with good reason, the man lies as easily as you and I breathe.
In a long Twitter thread, the former New York Times reporter and best-selling author Kurt Eichenwald stated: “Speaking as someone who has known Trump for decades, I promise you he is lying about taking hydroxychloroquine. I also expect he will soon trot out some physician to lyingly confirm he is or will drop the topic and deny he ever said it. The purpose of EVERY Trump lie is some form of personal aggrandizement—either reconfirming his deluded sense of ‘greatness’ or informing people he is right when he is wrong. Add to that—the man is stupid. Taking hydroxychloroquine falls directly into that lie/stupidity pattern.”
On Monday evening, the White House released a memo from the presidential physician, Dr. Sean Conley, saying that Trump “is in very good health and has remained symptom-free” and that the president receives “regular COVID-19 testing, all negative to date.”
The White House physician says he and the president “concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.” The FDA says there’s no evidence hydroxychloroquine treats or prevents coronavirus. Dr. Conley says Trump has no symptoms and is still negative. pic.twitter.com/o9DQrfSjJH [1]
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 19, 2020 [2]
Conley did not, however, say whether he’d actually prescribed the medication to Trump.
On Tuesday morning, the White House was more emphatic, with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, telling CBS News that she could “absolutely confirm” that Trump was taking hydroxychloroquine. “He said it,” she stated. “The president should be taken at his word.”
McEnany continued this talking point during a press gaggle on the White House driveway on Tuesday, saying if it was any other president, they would be taken at their word.
Press Sec. Kayleigh McEnany: "If it were any other President of the United States, the media would take him at his word." pic.twitter.com/ra5TaJYZwL [3]
— The Hill (@thehill) May 19, 2020 [4]
It didn’t take long for Twitter to point out the obvious:
Because other presidents weren't on the record for having lied tens of thousands of times during their first three years in office.
— Ellen Milhiser (@CongSynopsis) May 19, 2020 [5]
Right because most of our presidents haven’t been liars, cheats and altogether evil people. Duh.
— Serenity Sally (@BitsyBell) May 19, 2020 [6]
Cause this one is a lying sack of shit… maybe that's why they don't take him at his word.
— #RandomWhiteGuy (@coleyworld) May 19, 2020 [7]
@PressSec [8] both Trump and you are pathological liars. No one should take your or Trump's word for anything
— The POTUS is a Twatwaffle (@putmygamefaceon) May 19, 2020 [9]
Any other president wasn't know to lie more often than telling the truth. Trump can't ever be trusted with anything he says. He's a morbidly obese liar.
— Resisters United (@vt_beer) May 19, 2020 [10]