President Donald Trump is flanked by Sen. Roy Blunt and Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza as he takes qustions prior to signing the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act at the White House in Washington on April 24, 2020. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Trump says he was being sarcastic about disinfectant and the virus

Politics

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says his comments suggesting people can ingest or inject disinfectant to fight COVID-19 was an attempt at sarcasm.

Trump noted Thursday that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people, saying the virus "does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."

READ MORE: Do not inject disinfectants, Lysol warns after Trump raises idea

But speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Friday, Trump insisted his comments were misconstrued. "I was asking the question sarcastically to reporters like you, just to see what would happen," Trump said.

Trump's comments on disinfectants at Thursday's briefing came after William Bryan, who leads the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, spoke about how researchers are testing the effect of disinfectants on virus-laden saliva and respiratory fluids on surfaces.

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Trump says he was being sarcastic about disinfectant and the virus first appeared on the PBS News website.

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