Pence not taking hydroxychloroquine but won’t question Trump decision to pop unproven pills for coronavirus
Vice President Mike Pence wears a mask as he departs the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after meeting with him at the U.S. Capitol on May 19, 2020 in Washington, DC.(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Mike Pence is still drinking the Trump Kool-Aid -- even though he’s not taking hydroxy like his boss.
The vice president said Wednesday that he isn’t taking hydroxychloroquine, the unproven drug that President Trump claims to be taking to ward off coronavirus.
“My physician hasn’t recommended that," Pence told Fox News.
In an interview at NASA’s headquarters after a meeting of the National Space Council, @VP tells me he is not taking Hydroxychloroquine.
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But the veep was careful to add that he sees nothing wrong with Trump’s decision.
"I wouldn’t hesitate” to take it, Pence added.
Trump repeated Tuesday his claim that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a prescription medication usually used for malaria and lupus, as well as a commonly used antibiotic called Zithromax.
He called it a “added layer of defense” against the deadly virus although no study has shown it to be effective as a preventative measure.
Trump’s doctor said they had discussed the drugs but did not specifically say that he had prescribed them for the commander-in-chief. McEnany also did not elaborate on who exactly has prescribed the medication for Trump and on what medical grounds.
Initial small studies showed some promise for hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients. But later studies have discounted those claims and found a significant risk for those with heart problems.
Pence, who usually marches in lockstep with Trump, has found it tricky to navigate his mercurial boss’s health decisions amid the pandemic.
Like Trump, Pence sought to avoid wearing a mask in public, perhaps to present an image of strength or confidence that they would not be infected by COVID-19. He even disobeyed the rules and refused to wear a mask during a visit to the Mayo Clinic, a move he later apologized for.
After Pence’s press secretary tested positive for coronavirus, Pence started wearing a mask and stayed away from Trump for a few days in what aides called a precaution.
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