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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 19 (from laksa100)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa019.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/","crawl_time":1775745078,"first_indexed_time":1587754987,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,politifact!www,\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ s443","src_root_hash":"8805077254995538019","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"PolitiFact | In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus","meta_descriptions":["President Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfecta"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus\nPublic Health\nCoronavirus\nPresident Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)\nIf Your Time is short\nDuring a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients. \nTrump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context.\nThe briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures.\nPresident Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. \n\"I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,\" he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. \"But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters.\"\nThe president\nfirst posed\nthe question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well.\nSome websites\nand social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But\nothers said\nTrump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients.\nRegardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol\nsaid in a statement\nthat \"under no circumstance\" should its products be used in the human body.\nGiven the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to\ncheck the transcript\nto get the full context.\nWhat Trump said about disinfectants\nAfter Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus.\nHere’s the full context:\n\"A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?\"\n\"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.\"\nLater, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients.\n\"It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object.\"\nIt’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a \"sarcastic question\" to reporters.\nWhat Trump said about sunlight\nBryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients.\nBut as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context:\nTrump:\n\"I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you. \n\"I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?\"\nDr. Deborah Birx:\n\"Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —\"\nTrump:\n\"I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?\"\nslide\n4\nof 15","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tr?id=292850974235854&ev=PageView&noscript=1)\n\n[The Poynter Institute](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/)\n\n[Menu](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/)\n\n[Donate](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/membership\/)\n\nState Editions\n\n- [California](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/california\/)\n- [Florida](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/florida\/)\n- [Iowa](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/iowa\/)\n- [Michigan](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/michigan\/)\n- [New Hampshire](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/new-hampshire\/)\n- [New York](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/new-york\/)\n- [North Carolina](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/north-carolina\/)\n- [Pennsylvania](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/pennsylvania\/)\n- [Texas](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/texas\/)\n- [West Virginia](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/west-virginia\/)\n- 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about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus\n- [Public Health](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/public-health\/ \"Public Health\")\n- [Coronavirus](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/coronavirus\/ \"Coronavirus\")\n\n![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/photos\/AP_20114835004260\/898143625dd689e49efc598d63e3b439.jpg)\n\n![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/photos\/AP_20114835004260\/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg)\n\n![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/photos\/AP_20114835004260\/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg)\n\nPresident Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)\n\n[![Daniel Funke](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/staffers\/Daniel_Funke_for_web\/c85e6e3b3cc9852db01215ff9eb92129.jpg)](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/staff\/daniel-funke\/)\n\nBy [Daniel Funke](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/staff\/daniel-funke\/) April 24, 2020\n\n#### If Your Time is short\n- During a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients.\n- Trump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context.\n- The briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures.\n\nPresident Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients.\n\n\"I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,\" he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. \"But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters.\"\n\nThe president [first posed](https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?471458-1\/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing) the question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well.\n\n[Some websites](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200424171156\/https:\/\/www.politicususa.com\/2020\/04\/23\/trump-asks-about-injecting-people-with-bleach-to-kill-coronavirus.html?fbclid=IwAR3Lz56FPiLoozPKgiR7HBOLeQxOE1F5IQfmUahBUKTTvzPgOb9RP0qbPDk) and social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But [others said](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200424171517\/https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/the-media\/2020\/04\/23\/fact-check-no-trump-didnt-propose-injecting-people-with-disinfectant\/?fbclid=IwAR0IvixrOg9dPdmg1hjezbEuLNqoOIW0ysCexa7PjiAf35eSXNm198HkcFA) Trump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients.\n\nRegardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol [said in a statement](https:\/\/www.rb.com\/media\/news\/2020\/april\/improper-use-of-disinfectants\/) that \"under no circumstance\" should its products be used in the human body.\n\nGiven the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to [check the transcript](https:\/\/www.rev.com\/blog\/transcripts\/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23) to get the full context.\n\n## What Trump said about disinfectants\nAfter Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus.\n\nHere’s the full context:\n\n\"A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?\"\n\n\"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.\"\n\nLater, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients.\n\n\"It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object.\"\n\nIt’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a \"sarcastic question\" to reporters.\n\n## What Trump said about sunlight\nBryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients.\n\nBut as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context:\n\n**Trump:** \"I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you.\n\n\"I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?\"\n\n**Dr. Deborah Birx:** \"Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —\"\n\n**Trump:** \"I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?\"\n\n### Our Sources\nC-SPAN, \"[President Trump with Coronavirus Task Force Briefing](https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?471458-1\/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing),\" April 23, 2020\n\nRev, \"[Donald Trump Coronavirus Press Conference Transcript April 23](https:\/\/www.rev.com\/blog\/transcripts\/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23),\" April 23, 2020\n\nTV Eyes, accessed April 24, 2020\n\n## Browse the Truth-O-Meter\n### More by Daniel Funke\n\nslide 4 of 15\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg)\n\n[TikTok posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on January 30, 2021 in a sound:\n\n[\"Schools are trying to make a law that teachers can see girls' private parts to make sure they're not trans.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/17\/tiktok-posts\/popular-tiktok-posts-mislead-details-anti-transgen\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 17, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 15, 2021 in a text post:\n\n[Says Joe Biden planned a winter storm as \"warfare, an attack on Texas by altering the jet stream.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/16\/facebook-posts\/biden-did-not-plan-winter-storm-attack-texas\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 16, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/AP_210437737584333\/ecc077dade8274871644d2ebd270ce01.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/AP_210437737584333\/577302affd397085a211258d75abaed1.jpg)\n\n[Michael van der Veen](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 12, 2021 in a speech at the U.S. Senate:\n\n[After the Capitol insurrection, “one of the first people arrested was a leader of antifa.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/12\/michael-van-der-veen\/trump-impeachment-defense-lawyer-wrongly-singles-o\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 12, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 31, 2021 in a video:\n\n[\"mRNA is not a vaccine\" — it's \"actually an operating system\" that's run by Bill Gates to program humans.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/apr\/01\/facebook-posts\/covid-19-vaccine-not-operating-system-run-bill-gat\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • April 1, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 24, 2021 in a post:\n\n[\"Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship named Evergreen. Evergreen shipping is most likely a cover for human and sex trafficking” by Hillary Clinton.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/25\/facebook-posts\/evergreen-ship-blocking-suez-canal-not-linked-hill\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 25, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Posobiec\/ad1e6364782987dffced5db75d868676.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Posobiec\/180e87a3abd19b7b79c464939c530f0a.jpg)\n\n[Jack Posobiec](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 23, 2021 in a tweet:\n\n[“New information coming in that Boulder shooter was a Syrian refugee who arrived via Obama-era asylum programs.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/24\/jack-posopiec\/boulder-shooting-suspect-didnt-come-us-during-obam\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 24, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 22, 2021 in a text post:\n\n[The shooting in Boulder, Colo., was a \"false flag like most of the others.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/23\/facebook-posts\/boulder-shooting-was-not-false-flag-attack\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 23, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg)\n\n[TikTok posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 17, 2021 in a video caption:\n\n[“You will need a WHO Yellow Vaccination Passport if you plan on traveling internationally once borders open.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/22\/tiktok-posts\/no-you-dont-need-who-vaccination-certificate-trave\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 22, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 13, 2021 in a text post:\n\n[Says Joe Biden is “now saying he inherited ‘a mess’ at the border. Fact: 9,000 illegals all of 2020. So far in 2021 108,000 entered U.S.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/17\/facebook-posts\/facebook-post-misleads-number-border-apprehensions\/)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 17, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screen_Shot_2021-03-04_at_16.48.112\/a2f47784b51357e9f2eb4e191bc5f9d2.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screen_Shot_2021-03-04_at_16.48.112\/0a096d9c3ad2f2b27ce57ade98c96fbe.jpg)\n\n[Sherri Tenpenny](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 9, 2021 in a Bitchute video:\n\n[\"Some people are going to die from the vaccine directly. But a large number of people are going to start getting horribly sick and get all kinds of autoimmune diseases.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/04\/sherri-tenpenny\/covid-19-vaccine-does-not-cause-death-autoimmune-d\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 4, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 26, 2021 in an image:\n\n[Says Jerry Nadler said “God has no authority in the House of Representatives”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/26\/facebook-posts\/jerry-nadler-didnt-say-god-has-no-authority-house-\/)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 26, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screen_Shot_2021-02-26_at_15.24.12\/ae6d1efebbe1a0ce18d992bad9c05319.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screen_Shot_2021-02-26_at_15.24.12\/0b507a8413e27d4367f9ab0a0c7b27fc.jpg)\n\n[J. Bart Classen](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on January 18, 2021 in a research article:\n\n[The COVID-19 vaccine could lead to prion diseases, Alzheimer’s, ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/26\/j-bart-classen\/coronavirus-vaccine-doesnt-cause-alzheimers-als\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 26, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 21, 2021 in a post:\n\n[Facebook users can avoid “problems with your Facebook going against community standards” by changing your settings.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/24\/facebook-posts\/dont-waste-your-time-you-cant-block-facebooks-comm\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 24, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Infowars\/87651f6cb9382bdab9b8c41a80c96cbe.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Infowars\/9c1ec41edaa7e30d4d42e8124f351463.jpg)\n\n[Infowars](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 20, 2021 in an article:\n\n[“Joe Biden’s Dept. of Energy Blocked Texas from Increasing Power Ahead of Killer Storm”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/22\/infowars\/biden-administration-did-not-block-texas-increasin\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 22, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 13, 2021 in a text post:\n\n[Donald Trump's second impeachment \"cost \\$33 million.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/19\/facebook-posts\/trumps-second-impeachment-did-not-cost-33-million\/)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n\n![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 19, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/download_11\/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg)\n\n[TikTok posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on January 30, 2021 in a sound:\n\n[\"Schools are trying to make a law that teachers can see girls' private parts to make sure they're not trans.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/17\/tiktok-posts\/popular-tiktok-posts-mislead-details-anti-transgen\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 17, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 15, 2021 in a text post:\n\n[Says Joe Biden planned a winter storm as \"warfare, an attack on Texas by altering the jet stream.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/16\/facebook-posts\/biden-did-not-plan-winter-storm-attack-texas\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 16, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/AP_210437737584333\/ecc077dade8274871644d2ebd270ce01.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/AP_210437737584333\/577302affd397085a211258d75abaed1.jpg)\n\n[Michael van der Veen](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on February 12, 2021 in a speech at the U.S. Senate:\n\n[After the Capitol insurrection, “one of the first people arrested was a leader of antifa.\"](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/feb\/12\/michael-van-der-veen\/trump-impeachment-defense-lawyer-wrongly-singles-o\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • February 12, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 31, 2021 in a video:\n\n[\"mRNA is not a vaccine\" — it's \"actually an operating system\" that's run by Bill Gates to program humans.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/apr\/01\/facebook-posts\/covid-19-vaccine-not-operating-system-run-bill-gat\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • April 1, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n[Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 24, 2021 in a post:\n\n[\"Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship named Evergreen. Evergreen shipping is most likely a cover for human and sex trafficking” by Hillary Clinton.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/25\/facebook-posts\/evergreen-ship-blocking-suez-canal-not-linked-hill\/)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 25, 2021\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Posobiec\/ad1e6364782987dffced5db75d868676.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Posobiec\/180e87a3abd19b7b79c464939c530f0a.jpg)\n\n[Jack Posobiec](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/ \"[TITLE HERE]\")\n\nstated on March 23, 2021 in a tweet:\n\n[“New information coming in that Boulder shooter was a Syrian refugee who arrived via Obama-era asylum programs.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/mar\/24\/jack-posopiec\/boulder-shooting-suspect-didnt-come-us-during-obam\/)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n\n![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n\nBy Daniel Funke • March 24, 2021\n\n### In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus\n[Clear](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/list\/)\n\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg)\n  \n  [Social Media](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/social-media\/ \"Social Media\")\n  \n  stated on April 5, 2026 in social media posts:\n  \n  [Photos show rescues of U.S. F-15 airmen from Iran in April 2026.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/apr\/06\/social-media\/American-Colonel-pilot-photos-AI-Iran\/)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n  \n  By Maria Briceño • April 6, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Blakeman\/502dcff8ad8221831f0702143b32d5a2.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Blakeman\/219dfc4f7add0f02f3f2d6c45545897e.jpg)\n  \n  [Bruce Blakeman](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/bruce-blakeman\/ \"Bruce Blakeman\")\n  \n  stated on March 10, 2026 in a social media post:\n  \n  [As Nassau County Executive, I hired 600 new law enforcement officers and made Nassau the safest county in America.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/apr\/03\/bruce-blakeman\/nassau-tops-safest-county-rankings-but-blakemans-c\/)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Jill Terreri Ramos • April 3, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Moulton_mug\/8923be06c0558480b01a29731a36e10e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Moulton_mug\/36dd8500c2a090154778a0912abe4487.jpg)\n  \n  [Seth Moulton](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/seth-moulton\/ \"Seth Moulton\")\n  \n  stated on March 24, 2026 in an interview on MS NOW:\n  \n  [\"Bombing civilian power infrastructure is a war crime.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/apr\/02\/seth-moulton\/trump-bomb-civilian-infrastructure-war-crime\/)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Louis Jacobson • April 2, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/molinaro_thumbnail\/2d4cca24bae35d549b1ff5afd4d2bea2.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/molinaro_thumbnail\/c9799f7d0787a026552227cbf65c40bf.jpg)\n  \n  [Marc Molinaro](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/marcus-molinaro\/ \"Marc Molinaro\")\n  \n  stated on February 14, 2026 in an X post:\n  \n  [New York leads the nation in population loss.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/apr\/01\/marcus-molinaro\/new-york-population-loss-lead-nation\/)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Holden Turek • April 1, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/donald-trump\/ \"Donald Trump\")\n  \n  stated on March 29, 2026 in remarks aboard Air Force One:\n  \n  [“We've had regime change.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/apr\/01\/donald-trump\/regime-change-iran-khamenei-hegseth\/)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Louis Jacobson • April 1, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM\/3ccb6cddaa8fbf0081879363ec5e9d87.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM\/fc7ea635f413e2ca34f95ade285a23d7.jpg)\n  \n  [Blake Gendebien](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/blake-gendebien\/ \"Blake Gendebien\")\n  \n  stated on January 30, 2026 in an X post:\n  \n  [Milk prices “currently are no higher than they were in 1980’s.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/mar\/31\/blake-gendebien\/milk-prices-consumers-inflation-gallon-1980s\/)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Emma Gavazzi • March 31, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/donald-trump\/ \"Donald Trump\")\n  \n  stated on March 27, 2026 in a speech to a Saudi investment conference:\n  \n  [“More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/mar\/31\/donald-trump\/more-americans-working-today-employment\/)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true.jpg)\n  \n  By Louis Jacobson • March 31, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n  \n  [Facebook posts](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/facebook-posts\/ \"Facebook posts\")\n  \n  stated on March 26, 2026 in a Facebook post:\n  \n  [Video shows ICE agent removing “US citizen on a plane for being Latino.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/mar\/30\/facebook-posts\/Video-ICE-US-citizen-plane-skit-airport\/)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n  \n  By Maria Briceño • March 30, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg)\n  \n  [Social Media](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/social-media\/ \"Social Media\")\n  \n  stated on March 27, 2026 in social media posts:\n  \n  [Image shows President Donald Trump asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Truth Social to pardon Tiger Woods following a DUI charge.](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/mar\/30\/social-media\/donald-trump-fake-post-tiger-woods-pardon\/)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n  \n  By Loreben Tuquero • March 30, 2026\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/donald-trump\/ \"Donald Trump\")\n  \n  stated on March 23, 2026 in remarks at a Memphis event:\n  \n  [\"Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating.”](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2026\/mar\/25\/donald-trump\/trump-voted-by-mail-in-florida-the-same-month-he-f\/)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n  \n  By Amy Sherman • March 25, 2026\n\n[Load more](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/list\/)\n\n#### Offices\n[**District of Columbia**](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/)    \n  1800 I Street NW   \n Washington, DC 20006\n\n[**Florida**](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/apr\/24\/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-\/)   \n  801 3rd St. S   \n St. Petersburg, FL 33701  \n 727-821-9494\n\n#### People\n- [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/donald-trump\/)\n- [JD Vance](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/jd-vance\/)\n- [Mitch McConnell](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/mitch-mcconnell\/)\n- [Mike Johnson](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/mike-johnson\/)\n- [Joe Biden](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/personalities\/joe-biden\/)\n\n#### State Editions\n- [California](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/california\/)\n- [Florida](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/florida\/)\n- [Iowa](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/iowa\/)\n- [Michigan](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/michigan\/)\n- [New Hampshire](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/new-hampshire\/)\n- [New York](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/new-york\/)\n- [North Carolina](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/north-carolina\/)\n- [Pennsylvania](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/pennsylvania\/)\n- [Texas](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/texas\/)\n- [West Virginia](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/west-virginia\/)\n- [Wisconsin](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/wisconsin\/)\n\n#### About Us\n- [Our Process](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2018\/feb\/12\/principles-truth-o-meter-politifacts-methodology-i\/%20)\n- [Our Staff](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/staff\/)\n- [En Español](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/espanol\/)\n- [Who pays for PolitiFact?](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/who-pays-for-politifact\/)\n- [Advertise with Us](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/media-kit\/)\n- [Corrections and Updates](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/corrections-and-updates\/)\n- **[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/signup\/)**\n\n#### RSS Feeds\n- [Recent Articles and Fact-checks](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/rss\/social\/)\n- [Recent Fact-checks](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/rss\/factchecks\/)\n\n[Suggest a Fact-check](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/suggest\/statement\/)\n\n#### Follow us\nThe Facts Newsletter\n\n[Terms & Conditions](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/copyright\/)\n\n[Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/privacy\/)\n\n[Copyright](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/copyright\/)\n\n©All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/logo-footer.png)","attrs_readable_markdown":"In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus\n\n- [Public Health](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/public-health\/ \"Public Health\")\n- [Coronavirus](https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/coronavirus\/ \"Coronavirus\")\n\n![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/photos\/AP_20114835004260\/898143625dd689e49efc598d63e3b439.jpg)\n\n![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/photos\/AP_20114835004260\/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg)\n\nPresident Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)\n\n#### If Your Time is short\n- During a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients.\n- Trump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context.\n- The briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures.\n\nPresident Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients.\n\n\"I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside,\" he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. \"But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters.\"\n\nThe president [first posed](https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?471458-1\/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing) the question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well.\n\n[Some websites](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200424171156\/https:\/\/www.politicususa.com\/2020\/04\/23\/trump-asks-about-injecting-people-with-bleach-to-kill-coronavirus.html?fbclid=IwAR3Lz56FPiLoozPKgiR7HBOLeQxOE1F5IQfmUahBUKTTvzPgOb9RP0qbPDk) and social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But [others said](https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200424171517\/https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/the-media\/2020\/04\/23\/fact-check-no-trump-didnt-propose-injecting-people-with-disinfectant\/?fbclid=IwAR0IvixrOg9dPdmg1hjezbEuLNqoOIW0ysCexa7PjiAf35eSXNm198HkcFA) Trump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients.\n\nRegardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol [said in a statement](https:\/\/www.rb.com\/media\/news\/2020\/april\/improper-use-of-disinfectants\/) that \"under no circumstance\" should its products be used in the human body.\n\nGiven the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to [check the transcript](https:\/\/www.rev.com\/blog\/transcripts\/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23) to get the full context.\n\n## What Trump said about disinfectants\nAfter Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus.\n\nHere’s the full context:\n\n\"A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?\"\n\n\"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.\"\n\nLater, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients.\n\n\"It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object.\"\n\nIt’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a \"sarcastic question\" to reporters.\n\n## What Trump said about sunlight\nBryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients.\n\nBut as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context:\n\n**Trump:** \"I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you.\n\n\"I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?\"\n\n**Dr. Deborah Birx:** \"Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —\"\n\n**Trump:** \"I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?\"\n\nslide 4 of 15\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n\n![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n\n![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Blakeman\/502dcff8ad8221831f0702143b32d5a2.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Blakeman\/219dfc4f7add0f02f3f2d6c45545897e.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Moulton_mug\/8923be06c0558480b01a29731a36e10e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Moulton_mug\/36dd8500c2a090154778a0912abe4487.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/molinaro_thumbnail\/2d4cca24bae35d549b1ff5afd4d2bea2.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/molinaro_thumbnail\/c9799f7d0787a026552227cbf65c40bf.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![barely-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-barely-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM\/3ccb6cddaa8fbf0081879363ec5e9d87.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM\/fc7ea635f413e2ca34f95ade285a23d7.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![mostly-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-mostly-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![half-true](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-half-true.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/Facebook_Logo_2019\/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/socialmedia3\/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![false](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-false.jpg)\n- ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/CACHE\/images\/politifact\/mugs\/new_djt_mugshot\/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg)\n  \n  ![pants-fire](https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/img\/meter-pants-fire.jpg)","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Description	President Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfecta
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Boilerpipe Text	In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus Public Health Coronavirus President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP) If Your Time is short During a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients. Trump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context. The briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures. President Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. "I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside," he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. "But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters." The president first posed the question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well. Some websites and social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But others said Trump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients. Regardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol said in a statement that "under no circumstance" should its products be used in the human body. Given the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to check the transcript to get the full context. What Trump said about disinfectants After Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus. Here’s the full context: "A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?" "And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful." Later, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients. "It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object." It’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a "sarcastic question" to reporters. What Trump said about sunlight Bryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients. But as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context: Trump: "I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you. "I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?" Dr. Deborah Birx: "Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —" Trump: "I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?" slide 4 of 15
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(AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/AP_20114835004260/898143625dd689e49efc598d63e3b439.jpg) ![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/AP_20114835004260/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg) ![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/AP_20114835004260/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg) President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP) [![Daniel Funke](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/staffers/Daniel_Funke_for_web/c85e6e3b3cc9852db01215ff9eb92129.jpg)](https://www.politifact.com/staff/daniel-funke/) By [Daniel Funke](https://www.politifact.com/staff/daniel-funke/) April 24, 2020 #### If Your Time is short - During a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients. - Trump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context. - The briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures. President Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. "I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside," he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. "But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters." The president [first posed](https://www.c-span.org/video/?471458-1/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing) the question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well. [Some websites](https://web.archive.org/web/20200424171156/https://www.politicususa.com/2020/04/23/trump-asks-about-injecting-people-with-bleach-to-kill-coronavirus.html?fbclid=IwAR3Lz56FPiLoozPKgiR7HBOLeQxOE1F5IQfmUahBUKTTvzPgOb9RP0qbPDk) and social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But [others said](https://web.archive.org/web/20200424171517/https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/04/23/fact-check-no-trump-didnt-propose-injecting-people-with-disinfectant/?fbclid=IwAR0IvixrOg9dPdmg1hjezbEuLNqoOIW0ysCexa7PjiAf35eSXNm198HkcFA) Trump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients. Regardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol [said in a statement](https://www.rb.com/media/news/2020/april/improper-use-of-disinfectants/) that "under no circumstance" should its products be used in the human body. Given the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to [check the transcript](https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23) to get the full context. ## What Trump said about disinfectants After Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus. Here’s the full context: "A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?" "And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful." Later, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients. "It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object." It’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a "sarcastic question" to reporters. ## What Trump said about sunlight Bryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients. But as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context: Trump: "I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you. "I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?" Dr. Deborah Birx: "Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —" Trump: "I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?" ### Our Sources C-SPAN, "[President Trump with Coronavirus Task Force Briefing](https://www.c-span.org/video/?471458-1/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing)," April 23, 2020 Rev, "[Donald Trump Coronavirus Press Conference Transcript April 23](https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23)," April 23, 2020 TV Eyes, accessed April 24, 2020 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Daniel Funke slide 4 of 15 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg) [TikTok posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on January 30, 2021 in a sound: ["Schools are trying to make a law that teachers can see girls' private parts to make sure they're not trans."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/17/tiktok-posts/popular-tiktok-posts-mislead-details-anti-transgen/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 17, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 15, 2021 in a text post: [Says Joe Biden planned a winter storm as "warfare, an attack on Texas by altering the jet stream."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/16/facebook-posts/biden-did-not-plan-winter-storm-attack-texas/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 16, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/AP_210437737584333/ecc077dade8274871644d2ebd270ce01.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/AP_210437737584333/577302affd397085a211258d75abaed1.jpg) [Michael van der Veen](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 12, 2021 in a speech at the U.S. Senate: [After the Capitol insurrection, “one of the first people arrested was a leader of antifa."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/12/michael-van-der-veen/trump-impeachment-defense-lawyer-wrongly-singles-o/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 12, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 31, 2021 in a video: ["mRNA is not a vaccine" — it's "actually an operating system" that's run by Bill Gates to program humans.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/apr/01/facebook-posts/covid-19-vaccine-not-operating-system-run-bill-gat/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • April 1, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 24, 2021 in a post: ["Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship named Evergreen. Evergreen shipping is most likely a cover for human and sex trafficking” by Hillary Clinton.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/25/facebook-posts/evergreen-ship-blocking-suez-canal-not-linked-hill/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 25, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Posobiec/ad1e6364782987dffced5db75d868676.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Posobiec/180e87a3abd19b7b79c464939c530f0a.jpg) [Jack Posobiec](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 23, 2021 in a tweet: [“New information coming in that Boulder shooter was a Syrian refugee who arrived via Obama-era asylum programs.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/24/jack-posopiec/boulder-shooting-suspect-didnt-come-us-during-obam/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 24, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 22, 2021 in a text post: [The shooting in Boulder, Colo., was a "false flag like most of the others."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/23/facebook-posts/boulder-shooting-was-not-false-flag-attack/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 23, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg) [TikTok posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 17, 2021 in a video caption: [“You will need a WHO Yellow Vaccination Passport if you plan on traveling internationally once borders open.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/22/tiktok-posts/no-you-dont-need-who-vaccination-certificate-trave/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 22, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 13, 2021 in a text post: [Says Joe Biden is “now saying he inherited ‘a mess’ at the border. Fact: 9,000 illegals all of 2020. So far in 2021 108,000 entered U.S.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/17/facebook-posts/facebook-post-misleads-number-border-apprehensions/) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 17, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screen_Shot_2021-03-04_at_16.48.112/a2f47784b51357e9f2eb4e191bc5f9d2.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screen_Shot_2021-03-04_at_16.48.112/0a096d9c3ad2f2b27ce57ade98c96fbe.jpg) [Sherri Tenpenny](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 9, 2021 in a Bitchute video: ["Some people are going to die from the vaccine directly. But a large number of people are going to start getting horribly sick and get all kinds of autoimmune diseases."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/04/sherri-tenpenny/covid-19-vaccine-does-not-cause-death-autoimmune-d/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 4, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 26, 2021 in an image: [Says Jerry Nadler said “God has no authority in the House of Representatives”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/26/facebook-posts/jerry-nadler-didnt-say-god-has-no-authority-house-/) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 26, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screen_Shot_2021-02-26_at_15.24.12/ae6d1efebbe1a0ce18d992bad9c05319.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screen_Shot_2021-02-26_at_15.24.12/0b507a8413e27d4367f9ab0a0c7b27fc.jpg) [J. Bart Classen](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on January 18, 2021 in a research article: [The COVID-19 vaccine could lead to prion diseases, Alzheimer’s, ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/26/j-bart-classen/coronavirus-vaccine-doesnt-cause-alzheimers-als/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 26, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 21, 2021 in a post: [Facebook users can avoid “problems with your Facebook going against community standards” by changing your settings.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/24/facebook-posts/dont-waste-your-time-you-cant-block-facebooks-comm/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 24, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Infowars/87651f6cb9382bdab9b8c41a80c96cbe.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Infowars/9c1ec41edaa7e30d4d42e8124f351463.jpg) [Infowars](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 20, 2021 in an article: [“Joe Biden’s Dept. of Energy Blocked Texas from Increasing Power Ahead of Killer Storm”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/22/infowars/biden-administration-did-not-block-texas-increasin/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 22, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 13, 2021 in a text post: [Donald Trump's second impeachment "cost \$33 million."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/19/facebook-posts/trumps-second-impeachment-did-not-cost-33-million/) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 19, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/129886c04abe08501b6b6586038fac7a.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/download_11/0367e36ef90ba2d6653597d8486e415c.jpg) [TikTok posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on January 30, 2021 in a sound: ["Schools are trying to make a law that teachers can see girls' private parts to make sure they're not trans."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/17/tiktok-posts/popular-tiktok-posts-mislead-details-anti-transgen/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 17, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 15, 2021 in a text post: [Says Joe Biden planned a winter storm as "warfare, an attack on Texas by altering the jet stream."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/16/facebook-posts/biden-did-not-plan-winter-storm-attack-texas/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 16, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/AP_210437737584333/ecc077dade8274871644d2ebd270ce01.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/AP_210437737584333/577302affd397085a211258d75abaed1.jpg) [Michael van der Veen](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on February 12, 2021 in a speech at the U.S. Senate: [After the Capitol insurrection, “one of the first people arrested was a leader of antifa."](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/feb/12/michael-van-der-veen/trump-impeachment-defense-lawyer-wrongly-singles-o/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • February 12, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 31, 2021 in a video: ["mRNA is not a vaccine" — it's "actually an operating system" that's run by Bill Gates to program humans.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/apr/01/facebook-posts/covid-19-vaccine-not-operating-system-run-bill-gat/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • April 1, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 24, 2021 in a post: ["Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship named Evergreen. Evergreen shipping is most likely a cover for human and sex trafficking” by Hillary Clinton.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/25/facebook-posts/evergreen-ship-blocking-suez-canal-not-linked-hill/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 25, 2021 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Posobiec/ad1e6364782987dffced5db75d868676.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Posobiec/180e87a3abd19b7b79c464939c530f0a.jpg) [Jack Posobiec](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/ "[TITLE HERE]") stated on March 23, 2021 in a tweet: [“New information coming in that Boulder shooter was a Syrian refugee who arrived via Obama-era asylum programs.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/mar/24/jack-posopiec/boulder-shooting-suspect-didnt-come-us-during-obam/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Daniel Funke • March 24, 2021 ### In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus [Clear](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/list/) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg) [Social Media](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/social-media/ "Social Media") stated on April 5, 2026 in social media posts: [Photos show rescues of U.S. F-15 airmen from Iran in April 2026.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/apr/06/social-media/American-Colonel-pilot-photos-AI-Iran/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Maria Briceño • April 6, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Blakeman/502dcff8ad8221831f0702143b32d5a2.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Blakeman/219dfc4f7add0f02f3f2d6c45545897e.jpg) [Bruce Blakeman](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/bruce-blakeman/ "Bruce Blakeman") stated on March 10, 2026 in a social media post: [As Nassau County Executive, I hired 600 new law enforcement officers and made Nassau the safest county in America.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/apr/03/bruce-blakeman/nassau-tops-safest-county-rankings-but-blakemans-c/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Jill Terreri Ramos • April 3, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Moulton_mug/8923be06c0558480b01a29731a36e10e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Moulton_mug/36dd8500c2a090154778a0912abe4487.jpg) [Seth Moulton](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/seth-moulton/ "Seth Moulton") stated on March 24, 2026 in an interview on MS NOW: ["Bombing civilian power infrastructure is a war crime.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/apr/02/seth-moulton/trump-bomb-civilian-infrastructure-war-crime/) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true.jpg) By Louis Jacobson • April 2, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/molinaro_thumbnail/2d4cca24bae35d549b1ff5afd4d2bea2.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/molinaro_thumbnail/c9799f7d0787a026552227cbf65c40bf.jpg) [Marc Molinaro](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/marcus-molinaro/ "Marc Molinaro") stated on February 14, 2026 in an X post: [New York leads the nation in population loss.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/apr/01/marcus-molinaro/new-york-population-loss-lead-nation/) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true-th.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true.jpg) By Holden Turek • April 1, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) [Donald Trump](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/ "Donald Trump") stated on March 29, 2026 in remarks aboard Air Force One: [“We've had regime change.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/apr/01/donald-trump/regime-change-iran-khamenei-hegseth/) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) By Louis Jacobson • April 1, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM/3ccb6cddaa8fbf0081879363ec5e9d87.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM/fc7ea635f413e2ca34f95ade285a23d7.jpg) [Blake Gendebien](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/blake-gendebien/ "Blake Gendebien") stated on January 30, 2026 in an X post: [Milk prices “currently are no higher than they were in 1980’s.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/mar/31/blake-gendebien/milk-prices-consumers-inflation-gallon-1980s/) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true.jpg) By Emma Gavazzi • March 31, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) [Donald Trump](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/ "Donald Trump") stated on March 27, 2026 in a speech to a Saudi investment conference: [“More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/mar/31/donald-trump/more-americans-working-today-employment/) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true-th.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true.jpg) By Louis Jacobson • March 31, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) [Facebook posts](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/facebook-posts/ "Facebook posts") stated on March 26, 2026 in a Facebook post: [Video shows ICE agent removing “US citizen on a plane for being Latino.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/mar/30/facebook-posts/Video-ICE-US-citizen-plane-skit-airport/) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) By Maria Briceño • March 30, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg) [Social Media](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/social-media/ "Social Media") stated on March 27, 2026 in social media posts: [Image shows President Donald Trump asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Truth Social to pardon Tiger Woods following a DUI charge.](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/mar/30/social-media/donald-trump-fake-post-tiger-woods-pardon/) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) By Loreben Tuquero • March 30, 2026 - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) [Donald Trump](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/ "Donald Trump") stated on March 23, 2026 in remarks at a Memphis event: ["Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating.”](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2026/mar/25/donald-trump/trump-voted-by-mail-in-florida-the-same-month-he-f/) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) By Amy Sherman • March 25, 2026 [Load more](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/list/) #### Offices [District of Columbia](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/) 1800 I Street NW Washington, DC 20006 [Florida](https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/apr/24/context-what-donald-trump-said-about-disinfectant-/) 801 3rd St. S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-821-9494 #### People - [Donald Trump](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/) - [JD Vance](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/jd-vance/) - [Mitch McConnell](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/mitch-mcconnell/) - [Mike Johnson](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/mike-johnson/) - [Joe Biden](https://www.politifact.com/personalities/joe-biden/) #### State Editions - [California](https://www.politifact.com/california/) - [Florida](https://www.politifact.com/florida/) - [Iowa](https://www.politifact.com/iowa/) - [Michigan](https://www.politifact.com/michigan/) - [New Hampshire](https://www.politifact.com/new-hampshire/) - [New York](https://www.politifact.com/new-york/) - [North Carolina](https://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/) - [Pennsylvania](https://www.politifact.com/pennsylvania/) - [Texas](https://www.politifact.com/texas/) - [West Virginia](https://www.politifact.com/west-virginia/) - [Wisconsin](https://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/) #### About Us - [Our Process](https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/feb/12/principles-truth-o-meter-politifacts-methodology-i/%20) - [Our Staff](https://www.politifact.com/staff/) - [En Español](https://www.politifact.com/espanol/) - [Who pays for PolitiFact?](https://www.politifact.com/who-pays-for-politifact/) - [Advertise with Us](https://www.politifact.com/media-kit/) - [Corrections and Updates](https://www.politifact.com/corrections-and-updates/) - [Newsletters](https://www.politifact.com/signup/) #### RSS Feeds - [Recent Articles and Fact-checks](https://www.politifact.com/rss/social/) - [Recent Fact-checks](https://www.politifact.com/rss/factchecks/) [Suggest a Fact-check](https://www.politifact.com/suggest/statement/) #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter [Terms & Conditions](https://www.politifact.com/copyright/) [Privacy Policy](https://www.politifact.com/privacy/) [Copyright](https://www.politifact.com/copyright/) ©All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ![](https://static.politifact.com/img/logo-footer.png)
Readable Markdown	In Context: What Donald Trump said about disinfectant, sun and coronavirus - [Public Health](https://www.politifact.com/public-health/ "Public Health") - [Coronavirus](https://www.politifact.com/coronavirus/ "Coronavirus") ![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/AP_20114835004260/898143625dd689e49efc598d63e3b439.jpg) ![President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/AP_20114835004260/9ea37a38b0af4b2176b9d1952be800f1.jpg) President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP) #### If Your Time is short - During a coronavirus press briefing, President Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants and sunlight to treat COVID-19 patients. - Trump has since walked back those remarks, and several websites and social media posts have taken them out of context. - The briefing transcript shows that Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach or alcohol to treat the coronavirus. He was asking officials on the White House coronavirus task force whether they could be used in potential cures. President Donald Trump is walking back what he said during an April 23 coronavirus press briefing about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. "I was asking a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside," he said during a briefing in the Oval Office on April 24. "But it does kill it, and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better. That was done in the form of a sarcastic question to the reporters." The president [first posed](https://www.c-span.org/video/?471458-1/president-trump-coronavirus-task-force-briefing) the question April 23 after William Bryan, undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, presented a study that found sun exposure and cleaning agents like bleach have an adverse effect on the coronavirus. Bryan was referring to the use of disinfectants on surfaces and in aerosols, but Trump asked whether the chemicals could be used in a potential COVID-19 treatment, as well. [Some websites](https://web.archive.org/web/20200424171156/https://www.politicususa.com/2020/04/23/trump-asks-about-injecting-people-with-bleach-to-kill-coronavirus.html?fbclid=IwAR3Lz56FPiLoozPKgiR7HBOLeQxOE1F5IQfmUahBUKTTvzPgOb9RP0qbPDk) and social media users took that question to mean the president was recommending people inject themselves with bleach or isopropyl alcohol, an ingredient in hand sanitizer. But [others said](https://web.archive.org/web/20200424171517/https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/04/23/fact-check-no-trump-didnt-propose-injecting-people-with-disinfectant/?fbclid=IwAR0IvixrOg9dPdmg1hjezbEuLNqoOIW0ysCexa7PjiAf35eSXNm198HkcFA) Trump meant something very different — that doctors could investigate whether using sunlight or disinfectants could clear the virus in patients. Regardless, Trump’s remarks caused some companies and state agencies to issue warnings about ingesting disinfectants. The maker of Lysol [said in a statement](https://www.rb.com/media/news/2020/april/improper-use-of-disinfectants/) that "under no circumstance" should its products be used in the human body. Given the confusion over what Trump said during the briefing, we wanted to [check the transcript](https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-23) to get the full context. ## What Trump said about disinfectants After Bryan’s presentation, Trump floated the idea of using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 patients. He did not say Americans should ingest chemicals to prevent or treat the virus. Here’s the full context: "A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right?" "And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful." Later, Trump clarified his comments after a reporter asked Bryan whether disinfectants could actually be injected into COVID-19 patients. "It wouldn’t be through injections, almost a cleaning and sterilization of an area. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t work, but it certainly has a big effect if it’s on a stationary object." It’s not clear what part of that discussion he was characterizing as a "sarcastic question" to reporters. ## What Trump said about sunlight Bryan said the DHS study found that sunlight has an adverse effect on the coronavirus. So Trump asked whether there was some way to use sunlight in COVID-19 patients. But as with his comments on disinfectants, the president stopped short of saying sunlight can cure the coronavirus. Here’s the full context: Trump: "I hope people enjoy the sun, and if it has an impact, that’s great. I’m just hearing this, not really for the first time. I mean, there’s been a rumor, a very nice rumor, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat, and it does have an effect on other viruses. But now we get it from one of the great laboratories of the world, I have to say. Covers a lot more territory than just this. This is probably an easy thing, relatively speaking, for you. "I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there’s any way that you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could? And maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Again, I say maybe you can, maybe you can’t. I’m not a doctor. But I’m a person that has a good… You know what. Deborah, have you ever heard of that? The heat and the light relative to certain viruses, yes, but relative to this virus?" Dr. Deborah Birx: "Not as a treatment. I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a —" Trump: "I think that’s a great thing to look at. OK?" slide 4 of 15 ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Blakeman/502dcff8ad8221831f0702143b32d5a2.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Blakeman/219dfc4f7add0f02f3f2d6c45545897e.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Moulton_mug/8923be06c0558480b01a29731a36e10e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Moulton_mug/36dd8500c2a090154778a0912abe4487.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/molinaro_thumbnail/2d4cca24bae35d549b1ff5afd4d2bea2.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/molinaro_thumbnail/c9799f7d0787a026552227cbf65c40bf.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true-th.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true-th.jpg) ![barely-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-barely-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM/3ccb6cddaa8fbf0081879363ec5e9d87.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Screenshot_2026-03-29_at_11.53.19PM/fc7ea635f413e2ca34f95ade285a23d7.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true-th.jpg) ![mostly-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-mostly-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true-th.jpg) ![half-true](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-half-true.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/7ed0f7f43159fdda4e36555173e00d64.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/Facebook_Logo_2019/caa2aa7d5b5be4d8c1a06fa4f06aff45.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/e9244e144527030de445b61561ad0de1.jpeg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/socialmedia3/dd55caa1d27710286c5817da62931314.jpeg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false-th.jpg) ![false](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-false.jpg) - ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/80bd15ec0d50cf908299031c9790109e.jpg) ![](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/mugs/new_djt_mugshot/c1c32c5a2e0a94447f75d2e6dfe5573d.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire-th.jpg) ![pants-fire](https://static.politifact.com/img/meter-pants-fire.jpg)
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