This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Published on June 20, 2020, US President Donald Trump's comments on Covid-19 testing have raised eyebrows, particularly as the country grapples with a surge in cases.
At a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump claimed that increased testing was a 'double-edged sword,' suggesting that it could lead to more cases being discovered.
He argued, 'Here is the bad part: When you do testing to that extent, you are going to find more people, you will find more cases.' Trump also claimed that he had told his health officials to 'slow the testing down,' stating, 'They test and they test.'
However, a White House official later clarified that Trump was 'clearly speaking in jest' and that the administration was proud of its testing efforts, which have seen over 25 million coronavirus tests conducted.
Despite this, concerns remain about the potential consequences of Trump's comments, particularly as local health officials had asked him to postpone the rally due to fears of further spreading the virus.
Just hours before the rally, six members of an advance team working in Tulsa tested positive for Covid-19, highlighting the risks associated with large gatherings.
