President Trump’s daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump, vowed on Thursday to take the coronavirus vaccine on “The View” after a challenge from co-host Joy Behar.
Behar said on Wednesday’s show that she doubted the president’s claims that a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready soon, adding that she would take the vaccine once Ivanka Trump did.
Ivanka Trump responded to Behar’s comments in a tweet on Thursday, saying “Deal” while tagging “The View” co-host.
“I would come on your show to do so,” she said. “I trust the FDA and so should all Americans. Vanquishing this virus should be our collective top priority.”
On Wednesday, Behar accused the president of speeding up production of the virus in order to be reelected in November, citing that past developments took years to make an effective and safe vaccine.
“As far as the vaccine is concerned, I’d like to inform America — in case we don’t know this because I looked all this up for you — the mumps vaccine took four years, the polio vaccine took 20 years, and the smallpox vaccine took a few centuries,” she said on the ABC show.
“It was developed initially in 1796, when they started to think about it, and it became useful in the 1950s, OK?” she said, referring to the smallpox vaccine. “It is not a simple thing to do.”
“He will push anything to get reelected. Don’t fall for it,” she added. “And by the way, I will take the vaccine after Ivanka takes it.”
President Trump announced on Monday that his administration’s Operation Warp Speed could succeed in making a “very safe and effective” vaccine available by October. The president had earlier maintained that the vaccine was expected to be available before the end of the year, and had suggested it could happen before Election Day.
AstraZeneca, one of three companies in the third stage of vaccine development, halted its trials earlier this week after a “potentially unexplained illness” arose in one of the participants. The company has not confirmed the diagnosis for the illness.
In a Monday CBS News/YouGov survey, only 21 percent of Americans said they’d take a no-cost vaccine as soon as possible, while 58 percent say they will wait to see how it affects others first.