White House releases doctor's note on Trump's purported use of hydroxychloroquine

Trump talks to the press
(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

President Trump's announcement Monday that he has been taking hydroxycholorquine as a prophylactic to ward off the COVID-19 coronavirus had its skeptics, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). "Maybe he's really not taking it because the president lies about things characteristically," Schumer told MSNBC. So the White House released a letter from White House physician Dr. Sean Conley.

Trump "is in very good health" and has tested negative for COVID-19 in his regular testing, Conley wrote. "After numerous discussions he and I had for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks." The letter did not actually say Conley had prescribed hydroxychlorquine to Trump or that Trump was taking it, but White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump is taking the malaria drug.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.