Former President Donald Trump told reporters at NPR that he believes the pandemic will eventually “phase out.” Although he has come under pressure for supporting the vaccine, he indicated that he does not support mandates. “The vaccines, I recommend taking them, but I think that has to be an individual choice. I mean, it’s got to be individual, but I recommend taking them. Many people recommend them. And if some people don’t want, they shouldn’t have to take them,” Trump stated. In fact, Trump clearly states that he does not understand why healthy individuals are continuing to take the vaccine.
As for mandates, he sees the effect that they are having on the US economy. “Well, first of all, the mandate is really hurting our country. Now that’s advice to an administration more so than to the Americans. A lot of Americans aren’t standing for it, and it’s hurting our country. It’s hurting our economy very badly.”
When the conversation moved to the allegedly stolen 2020 US Presidential Election, Trump admitted that his own party did not support him. “Mitch McConnell is a loser. And frankly, Mitch McConnell, if he were on the other side and if Schumer were put in his position, he would have been fighting this like you’ve never seen before. He would have been fighting this, because when you look at it, and this is long — is a long way from over,” the former US president said.
Trump questioned how Joe Biden managed to obtain 80 million votes “sitting in his basement.” The interview abruptly ended after the NPR reported questioned him on the Capitol “siege” on January 6. Trump has been largely silenced since he was scrubbed from social media while in office. One interesting thing here is that the former president said that the GOP does not stand a chance of winning the midterm elections unless they continue to insist on a probe into the allegedly stolen election. The Democrats have already divided themselves, but it remains to be seen whether the GOP (not including Romney) will follow suit.
