Former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump were vaccinated before they departed the White House in January en route back civilian life.
The Trumps, who both battled coronavirus last fall, chose not to be publicly vaccinated like the host of world leaders who sought to ensure their nations’ citizens of the safety and efficacy of the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
It is not clear which vaccine the Trumps received, if they got both doses, or if other members of their family were also vaccinated.
During his appearance at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump told assembled audience “everybody should get their shot,” when speaking about the vaccine.
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“We took care of a lot of people — including, I guess, on Dec. 21, we took care of Joe Biden, because he got his shot, he got his vaccine,” Trump said at CPAC on Sunday. “So, everybody, go get your shot.”
Trump did not get the vaccine in December, because, according to former Surgeon General Jerome Adams, he had a “medical reason.”
“From a scientific point of view, I will remind people that the president has had COVID within the last 90 days,” Adams said in December on CBS’ Face the Nation. “He received monoclonal antibodies, and that is actually one scenario where we tell people, ‘Maybe you should hold off on getting the vaccine; talk to your health provider to find out the right time.’ Politics aside, there is a medical reason.”
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Last year, Trump supporters pushed several conspiracy theories about the vaccines, including that they would ultimately be mandated by the government. In a segment on his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight in December, the popular Fox host said, “They are planning to force you to take the coronavirus vaccine. It’s so safe, they have to threaten you to take it.”
Polls show that Republicans are more hesitant than any other group to take the coronavirus vaccines. Axios reported this week that 41% of Republicans say they don’t plan to get vaccinated. Pundits have noted that Trump’s support of vaccination from COVID-19 could change the opinion of his hardcore supporters.
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