Former President Donald Trump says politicians who refuse to say whether they’ve received COVID-19 booster shots are “gutless.”
In an interview with the conservative One America News Network on Tuesday night, Trump didn't name names when he said some politicians have been afraid to admit they got the booster shot.
“Well, I’ve taken it. I’ve had the booster,” Trump said in the interview. “I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, ‘Did you get the booster?’ .... And they, ‘Oh, oh,’ they’re answering it — like in other words, the answer is ‘Yes,’ but they don’t want to say it. Because they’re gutless.”
Trump did not name names, and his spokespeople did not immediately respond to questions about which politicians he was referencing. But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a rising star in the Republican Party who is often mentioned as a possible 2024 presidential contender, has notably declined to say whether he has received a booster.
“So I’ve done whatever I did, the normal shot. And, you know, that, at the end of the day, is people’s individual decisions about what they want to do,” DeSantis told Fox News Channel host Maria Bartiromo last month.
DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Trump may be looking to create a political issue as he also eyes a run in 2024 because he can promote his administration's success in facilitating the development of the shots.