In a tweet promoting its story on President Trump discussing his use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against COVID-19, CBS News claimed he was stopping it soon because he was "facing heat" over his decision to take it at all.
"After facing heat over taking the antimalaria drug, President Trump says he'll stop taking hydroxychloroquine in "a day or two," the tweet said.
But that's not the case.
Trump said Wednesday he will stop taking the medication because the regimen will be over.
"I think the regimen finishes in a day or two — yeah, I think it's two days, two days," he said while meeting with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.
The president said Monday he had been taking the drug for about a week and a half as a precautionary measure to avoid contracting coronavirus.
"I'm not going to get hurt by it. It's been around for 40 years for malaria, for lupus, for other things," Trump said.
“After numerous discussions he and I had regarding the evidence for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks,” said Dr. Conley, who is a Navy commander.
A White House official said Dr. Conley prescribed the drug to Mr. Trump and that he took it in response to a potential exposure.
Dr. Conley said Mr. Trump is in good health and symptom-free and all his Covid-19 tests have been negative. He said he would continue to monitor studies on Covid-19 therapies.
In his remarks Monday, Mr. Trump said he also took one dose of the antibiotic azithromycin and is regularly taking zinc. (WSJ)
Twitter users called CBS out for the misleading tweet.
What a joke! Your headline implies he quit taking it because of “facing heat” fact is he was likely on a 14 day Rx and him and his Dr have decided it is no longer necessary at this time....I believe day 14 is the same day that the last person tested positive for COVID in WH.....
— Randy Daugherty (@randydaugherty) May 21, 2020
I dont think it was because of heat, I believe he's coming to the end of his doctor recommended treament. Remember this is not M&M that you just take it without an end.
— Willie Lora (@LoraWMedia) May 21, 2020
Seriously?!? CBS is complete garbage. Some one tested positive that works closely with him. He was prescribed HCQ for 14 days. The reason he stopped taking it is because his prescription ran out.
— Kelly Baker???? (@kelbaker9397) May 21, 2020
This is a BS lie
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 21, 2020
Trump said that he was discontinuing use of the drug in two days because that's when the treatment regimen ended, it had nothing to do with "facing heat" from the media https://t.co/EqJfzKZ0gJ
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