Donald Trump's Surprising Take On The Booster Shot Is Turning Heads

With the COVID-19 Omicron variant surging across the United States infecting over 700,000 people per day (and perhaps more, as not every test — especially rapid home tests — are recorded), according to the New York Times, the CDC is advising people that it's more important than ever to get vaccinated and boosted, as it's the best protection against severe illness and death.

Since the vaccines became available, more Republicans have resisted getting the shot more than Democrats (via The Washington Post), with many of former president Donald Trump's supporters refusing the vaccine for various reasons. Some claim it doesn't work, while others claim that COVID is not dangerous and buy into conspiracy theories that it does more harm than good, according to Vox. Despite some of Trump's supporters being anti-vaccination and booing him when he gives speeches touting the vaccine that was created during his administration's Operation Warp Speed program, per Fortune, Trump refuses to back down on his belief in COVID vaccines. Now he has some surprising things to say about the booster the CDC recommends for all Americans 12 and up six months after their second shot.

When Donald Trump appeared on the conservative leaning One America News (OAN) on the evening of January 11, 2022, host Dan Ball gave him some pushback on his recent stance about the COVID-19 vaccine and the discussion he had with conservative commentator Candace Owens about it. Trump promoted the vaccine to Owens, who later posted an Instagram video where she claimed Trump was just naive because he gets his news from mainstream media.

During his OAN appearance, not only did Trump not take back what he said to Owens, he doubled down on his stance and urged people to get the booster shot, as well — and he also called some politicians cowards.

"Well, I've taken it," Trump said (via Mediaite). "I've had the booster. Many politicians — I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed and one of the questions was, 'Did you get the booster?' — because they had the vaccine — and they're answering like — in other words, the answer is 'yes' but they don't want to say it. Because they're gutless. You gotta say it — whether you had it or not. Say it. But the fact is that I think the vaccines saved tens of millions throughout the world. I've had absolutely no side-effects."