Trump Declares Himself ‘Father of the Vaccine’ as He Rips Johnson & Johnson Pause: ‘Stupid Thing to Do’

Former President Donald Trump appeared on Fox Business Thursday morning to discuss President Joe Biden’s first address of a joint session of Congress, and largely spoke about himself and took credit for the speed in which vaccines for Covid-19 were developed.

Maria Bartiromo asked her guest about the FDA’s decision to pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after very rare instances of blood clotting raised concerns, which Trump dismissed as a “stupid thing to do.”

Trump then pivoted to the set of American citizens who are hesitant to get the vaccine, which polls suggest, is largely comprised of his own base of supporters.  “There’s a big situation with a lot of people don’t want to take the vaccine,” he said, before blaming the J&J vaccine pause for adding to skepticism among those who aren’t eager to get vaccinated.

“This played right into their hands and they want me to do public service messages and everything about everybody taking the vaccine,” he said. “And look, I guess in a certain way I’m the father of the vaccine because I was the one that pushed it. To get it done in less than nine months was a miracle.”

Reports surfaced earlier this month that the 45th president and the former First Lady Melania Trump received vaccinations in January, but did so in private. Many have suggested that had they publically announced that they were vaccinated, or did it during a press opportunity, then many of his supporters would be more likely to get vaccination themselves.

Watch above Fox Business.