Nets Meltdown After Trump Says He Takes Hydroxychloroquine

Nicholas Fondacaro | May 18, 2020
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***To read the full blog, please check out the complete post on NewsBusters***

Even though the FDA says the use of Hydroxychloroquine was up to a patient and their doctor, Monday’s evening newscasts saw ABC, CBS, and NBC clutch their pearls after President Trump admitted he’s been taking the anti-Malaria drug for several days to prevent catching coronavirus. Acting as though he was self-medicating and not telling viewers that the drug needed a prescription to obtain it, which meant his doctor approved it, these liberal networks decried the medial precaution.

ABC’s World News Tonight and CBS Evening News kicked off their newscasts with the headline stealing development. “But, of course, the headline that immediately took over all the others, when late today, the President said he's been taking hydroxychloroquine for more than a week,” announced ABC anchor David Muir. Adding: “But, of course, it led to immediate questions about why he's taking it, with the FDA warning that no one should be taking the drug for coronavirus outside a hospital or clinical trial.”

Reporting on how the President said he had spoken with the White House physician before he started taking the drug, ABC chief White House correspondent Jon Karl didn’t mention that it needed a prescription (click “expand”):

KARL: Did the White House doctor recommend that you that? Is that why you’re taking it?

TRUMP: Yeah, White House doctor. Didn’t recommend. No, I asked him, “what do you think” and he said, “well, if you'd like it.” I said, “yeah, I'd like it. I’d like to take it.” A lot of people are taking it.

KARL: The President, who regularly gets tested for coronavirus, said he is taking the drug as a preventive, not because he has tested positive or has any symptoms.

Spanish-language network Telemundo went full fake news and declared via an on-screen headline that “TRUMP SELF MEDICATES.”

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