Testing czar says 'none of us lie' after Trump retweets game show host's baseless COVID-19 conspiracy


A Trump administration official was forced to respond to President Trump's retweet of a game show host who claimed doctors are "lying" about COVID-19.
Adm. Brett Giroir, U.S. assistant secretary for health and member of the White House's coronavirus task force, spoke to Today on Tuesday and was asked to weigh in on the baseless conspiracy theory retweeted by Trump. On Monday, Trump retweeted a post from game show host Chuck Woolery claiming that the "CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors," are "lying" about COVID-19 to influence the 2020 presidential election and hurt his campaign.
"Look, we may occasionally make mistakes based on the information we have, but none of us lie," Giroir said in response to the tweet. "We are completely transparent with the American people."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Giroir seemed reluctant to directly criticize Trump's retweet, though, initially saying he's "not a Twitter analyst" and doesn't "spend time looking at any of that on Twitter because who knows what it means and how it's interpreted."
In a press briefing on Monday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed the "intent" of Trump's retweet was to express "displeasure with the CDC, some rogue individuals leaking guidelines prematurely." Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Disney is still shielding Americans from an episode of 'Bluey'
Talking Points The US culture war collides with its lucrative children's show
-
6 captivating new museum exhibitions to see this summer
The Week Recommends Get up close to Gustave Caillebotte and discover New Vision photography
-
'The answer isn't to shake faith in the dollar'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows