Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would urge his supporters to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but acknowledged that some of them may refuse in the name of “freedom.”
“I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it,” Trump told Fox News during a 20-minute telephone interview.
Trump noted “a lot of those people” who don’t want the vaccine “voted for me, frankly. But … again, we have our freedoms, and we have to live by that, and I agree with that also.”
In early January, before leaving the White House, Trump and then-first lady Melania Trump received the vaccine, but did not disclose that fact publicly.
“It’s a great vaccine, it’s a safe vaccine and it’s something that works,” Trump told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.
Polls show that Republican men and Trump backers are among the top groups against getting a vaccine.
Former Pres. Trump encourages his supporters to get the coronavirus vaccine but then adds, "we have our freedoms, and we have to live by that. And I agree with that also." pic.twitter.com/WjRpPOLcLw
— Poli Alert ⚖️ (@polialertcom) March 16, 2021