Operation Warp Speed Chief Says Trump, GOP Leaders Should ‘Really Work Hard’ to Help Vaccine Push

Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief adviser to the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, said the former president and other top Republican leaders should be a big part of the nationwide push to get people vaccinated.

On CBS’ Face the Nation, Margaret Brennan asked Slaoui about polling that shows serious vaccine hesitation among Republicans.

Slaoui said he’s “very concerned” that people are deciding to “actually place themselves and the people around them in harm’s way by refusing to be vaccinated.”

“We need to do every effort we can to explain to people that vaccines have nothing to do with politics. These vaccines are safe. They’re highly effective. They’re going to help them protect themselves and protect the people around them from the spread of this virus and critically from the potential appearance of new variants,” he added.

When asked directly why many Republicans are saying they won’t take it, Slaoui remarked that it’s beyond his “rational thinking.”

He made a point of adding, “I would hope that President Trump and others in the Republican Party should really work hard to engage more Republicans to accept to be vaccinated.”

Brennan asked if it would’ve made a difference if Trump got vaccinated publicly back in January. Slaoui said it it would have.

You can watch above (the relevant part starts at the 5:15 mark), via CBS.