DONALD TRUMP has branded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, as “sick” after she described the US President as “morbidly obese”.
Ms. Pelosi made the remarks while reacting to the US President’s claims that he has been taking anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to combat COVID-19.
Irish medical professionals have been warned against prescribing the anti-malaria drug to treat coronavirus by the manufacturer, Sanofi.
It comes after a noted increase in the number serious and life-threatening cardiac issues experienced by patients given hydroxychloroquine, often in combination with other drugs like azithromycin.
Mr Trump, however, went on to rebuff any concern over the use of the drug though, telling reporters "I happen to be taking it," adding “I'm taking it. Hydroxychloroquine. Right now, yeah."
Speaking to CNN, the House Speaker expressed concern that the president could be putting his health and life at risk by using the medication despite there being no evidence to suggest the drug is a treatment for coronavirus or prevents COVID-19.
Ms Pelosi: “He’s our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say, weight group. Morbidly obese, they say.”
The comments have drawn widespread criticism from both sides of the political divide with the House Speaker accused of “fat-shaming” the President and making a cheap dig.
“I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group, and in his, shall we say, weight group: ‘Morbidly obese,’ they say,” says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Pres. Trump’s revelation he is taking hydroxychloroquine. pic.twitter.com/0ImjpEjg9q
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 19, 2020
Responding to Ms Pelosi’s remarks, Mr Trump told reporters: “Pelosi is a sick woman she’s got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems.”
He also rejected any suggestion of hydroxychloroquine being dangerous.
“Well I’ve worked with doctors and if you look at the one survey – the only bad survey – they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape,” he said.
“They were very old, almost dead. It was a Trump enemy statement.”
The study Trump referred to took place at a t a veterans’ hospital in the US back in April.
He continued: “A lot of our front line workers take it because it possibly and – I think it does but you know these people are going to have to make up their own mind.
“Plus, it doesn’t hurt people. It’s been out of the market for 60 or 65 years for malaria, lupus and other things.
“I think it gives you an additional level of safety, but you can ask many doctors are in favour of it. Many front line workers won’t go there, unless they have the hydroxy.
“And so again this is an individual decision to make, but it’s had a great reputation. And if it was somebody else other than me, people would say gee isn’t that smart.”
An individual is considered morbidly obese if they are 100 pounds over their ideal body weight, has a Body Mass Index BMI of 40 or more, or 35 or more and experiencing obesity-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
In February 2019, a White House physician recorded that Trump had a BMI of just over 30%, putting him in the category of obese rather than morbidly obese.
No other obesity-related health conditions were detected in the medical.
See More: Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, US President
