The President of the United States Believes There’s an AIDS Vaccine
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Hold on. I’m going to need a long swig of vodka for this one, because the President of the United States believes there’s an AIDS vaccine.
Here we go.
On Tuesday, June 16, Trump gave a speech on police reform and COVID relief efforts. I think. I’m not going to lie to you and pretend that I, or the White House, or Trump, or his administration know what the original purpose of his speech was. But I am also not going to lie to you and pretend there’s an AIDS vaccine, because there isn’t.
“They’ve come up with the AIDS vaccine” pic.twitter.com/Z8MQK5Bi2F
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) June 16, 2020
Transcript: They … have come up with things and they’ve come up with … many other cures and therapeutics over the years. These are the people the best the smartest the most brilliant anywhere. And they’ve come up with uh the AIDS vaccine. They’ve come up with or the AIDS and the or as you know there’s various things and now various companies are involved. But the therapeutic for AIDS. AIDS was a death sentence. And now people live a life with a pill it’s an incredible thing.
To be clear, “the people the best the smartest the most brilliant anywhere” have not come up with “uh the AIDS vaccine.” This is not a thing that has happened. There is no vaccine for AIDS.
And while sometimes the only thing we can do is laugh, Lambda Legal makes a great point:
ICYMI: There is no AIDS vaccine. While there have been great advancements in treatment over the years (for those who can access and afford it) the President's misguided words today represent a clear misunderstanding of the realities that exist for people living with #HIV.
— Lambda Legal (@LambdaLegal) June 16, 2020
HIV is still very much a global epidemic, with millions being infected each year. Many of these people face undue hardship and challenges, including access to care and treatment. Trump’s remarks are both ludicrous and dangerous, because they perpetuate a cycle of misunderstanding we simply cannot afford to withstand.
It’s clear, as it has been since even before his election, that Trump just does not care.
What are your thoughts on Trump’s recent comments about an AIDS vaccine?
Featured image of Trump by Andrew Spear / Getty Images
