Logan Reed
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden expressed his trust in vaccines and scientists but said he did not trust Donald Trump, who was president at the time. Biden was concerned that Trump would inject politics into the vaccine approval process. He said that if he were elected president, he would implement an effective distribution plan from the start of his term. Biden also said that he would take a vaccine if it were available, even if it cost him the election.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 16th and 17th September 2020 |
| Spokesperson | Joe Biden |
| Message | "I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump." |
| Context | Biden was speaking about coronavirus vaccines and the potential influence of politics on their approval and distribution. |
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What You'll Learn
- Biden said he trusts vaccines and scientists, but not Donald Trump
- Biden expressed concern about political influence on vaccine approval
- Biden said he would take a vaccine tomorrow if he could
- Biden demanded transparency in the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine
- Biden said he would implement an effective distribution plan if elected president
Biden said he trusts vaccines and scientists, but not Donald Trump
During his presidential campaign, Joe Biden expressed his trust in vaccines and scientists while simultaneously expressing his distrust of then-president Donald Trump. In September 2020, Biden stated, "Let me be clear: I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump." He went on to say, "And at this moment, the American people can't either."
Biden's remarks came in response to concerns about political influence in the vaccine approval process and distribution. He emphasized that scientific breakthroughs and the timing, approval, and distribution of vaccines should not be distorted by political considerations. Biden wanted to assure the public that any future vaccine would be distributed equitably and provided first to those at greatest risk. He also acknowledged the importance of a vaccine in offering "a way back to normalcy."
Biden's comments reflected his recognition of the coronavirus vaccine as a critical issue on the campaign trail. A vaccine was seen as essential to addressing both the public health crisis and the struggling economy. However, Biden expressed worry that Trump's handling of the vaccine approval process could undermine public trust. He criticized Trump's comments on the timing of the vaccine as irresponsible, stating, "Scientific breakthroughs don't care about calendars anymore than the virus does."
Biden's stance on vaccines and his trust in scientists stood in contrast to Trump's approach. Biden's emphasis on transparency and his participation in briefings with medical experts highlighted his commitment to relying on scientific advice. On the other hand, Trump was criticized for his handling of the pandemic and his comments on vaccine approval standards. Trump accused Biden of launching a public campaign against the vaccine, claiming that Democrats were promoting anti-vaccination sentiments.
Despite their differences, Biden asserted that if scientists approved a vaccine under Trump's administration, he would support its distribution. He drew a clear line between his distrust of Trump and his trust in the scientific community, stating that he would follow the guidance of experts when it came to vaccine approval and distribution. Biden's remarks showcased his attempt to navigate the complex landscape of vaccine development and distribution while addressing the concerns of the American people during a challenging time.
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Biden expressed concern about political influence on vaccine approval
While Biden has never said "don't trust the vaccine", he has expressed concern about political influence on vaccine approval. In September 2020, Biden, then the Democratic presidential nominee, made clear his trust in vaccines and scientists but said he did not trust then-president Donald Trump. He drew a line between his distrust of Trump and his trust in vaccines and scientists.
Biden said:
> "Let me be clear: I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump, and at this moment, the American people can't either."
Biden was speaking after receiving a briefing from a panel of vaccine experts in Wilmington, Delaware. He expressed concern that Trump would inject politics into the vaccine approval process, characterising the president's comments on the timing of a vaccine as irresponsible. He said:
> "Scientific breakthroughs don't care about calendars anymore than the virus does. They certainly don't adhere to election cycles. Their timing, approval, and distribution should never be distorted by political considerations. They should be determined by science and safety alone."
Biden added that he was worried that if a good vaccine was developed, people might be reluctant to take it because of Trump's politicisation of the issue. He said:
> "I'm worried if we do have a really good vaccine, people are going to be reluctant to take it... If I could get a vaccine tomorrow, I'd do it. If it cost me the election, I'd do it. We need a vaccine and we need it now."
Trump responded by accusing Biden of launching a public campaign against the vaccine, saying:
> "Now Biden has launched a public campaign against the vaccine, which is so bad, because we have some vaccines coming that are incredible."
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Biden said he would take a vaccine tomorrow if he could
While Biden did say that he would take a vaccine tomorrow if he could, he also expressed distrust in the then-president, Donald Trump, and his handling of the vaccine approval process. Biden stated that he trusted vaccines and scientists but did not trust Trump, implying that he believed the president might prioritize political gain over public health.
During his presidential campaign in 2020, Biden emphasized the importance of distributing a coronavirus vaccine effectively and equitably. He recognized that the development of a vaccine was only part of the battle and that ensuring its distribution to the entire population was a complex challenge. Biden aimed to assure the public that a future vaccine would offer "a way back to normalcy." However, he expressed concern that Trump's politicization of the vaccine approval process could undermine public trust and affect people's willingness to get vaccinated.
In contrast to his trust in vaccines and scientists, Biden stated, "I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump... at this moment, the American people can't either." He criticized Trump for making irresponsible comments about the timing of the vaccine, suggesting that the approval and distribution of vaccines should be free from political influence.
Biden's statements about taking a vaccine "tomorrow" if he could reflect his eagerness to address the public health crisis caused by the coronavirus. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, "We need a vaccine, and we need it now. As quickly as we can get it." Biden's comments also highlight his willingness to prioritize public health over political considerations, even if it cost him the election.
While Biden expressed trust in vaccines and scientists, he drew a clear line of distrust toward Trump and his handling of the vaccine approval process. This distinction formed a key message in his presidential campaign, underscoring the importance of responsible leadership during a public health crisis.
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Biden demanded transparency in the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine
While Biden never said "don't trust the vaccine", he did express concerns about the politicisation of vaccine approval and distribution. During his presidential campaign, Biden emphasised his trust in vaccines and scientists but not in then-president Donald Trump or his administration. He criticised Trump's comments on the timing of the vaccine as irresponsible, stating:
> Scientific breakthroughs don't care about calendars anymore than the virus does. They certainly don't adhere to election cycles. Their timing, approval and distribution should never be distorted by political considerations.
Biden also expressed worry that Trump's politicisation of the vaccine approval process could make people reluctant to take a vaccine if one became available. He affirmed that he would take a vaccine himself, even if it cost him the election.
Biden's remarks drew a clear distinction between his support for vaccines and scientists and his distrust of the Trump administration's handling of the vaccine approval and distribution process. He emphasised the complexity and importance of distributing a coronavirus vaccine to the entire population, pledging to implement an effective distribution plan if elected.
As president, Biden offered assurances about the protection provided by COVID-19 vaccines, stating that vaccinated individuals would not get COVID, and that they would not be hospitalised, in intensive care, or die. While these statements reflected the strong protection afforded by the vaccines, they were also found to be overly broad and absolute by fact-checkers, as "breakthrough" infections, hospitalisations, and deaths among the vaccinated were not unheard of, especially with the emergence of new variants.
The Biden administration also faced criticism for its handling of vaccine messaging and mandates, which some experts believed contributed to vaccine skepticism and politicisation. The administration's decision to mandate that large employers require staff to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing was viewed by some as counterproductive.
In terms of transparency, Senator Rick Scott called for more transparency from the Biden Administration on its vaccine distribution plan, urging HHS to provide clear answers to several questions, including:
- The production capacity of Pfizer and Moderna and any plans to expand it
- The method for determining vaccine allocations to each state
- The approach to communicating and coordinating with states regarding expected vaccine doses
- The pharmaceutical companies with contracts for vaccines and the number of vaccines HHS plans to purchase from each
Scott emphasised the need for transparency to enable American families to make informed decisions about their health and safety.
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Biden said he would implement an effective distribution plan if elected president
While accepting the Democratic Party's nomination for president, Joe Biden said that he would implement a national plan to battle the coronavirus pandemic on his first day in office if he were elected. He criticized President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic, promising to "take the muzzle off our experts so the public gets the information they need and deserve -- honest, unvarnished truth".
Biden also addressed the issue of coronavirus vaccines during his campaign, acknowledging the complexity and challenges of distributing a vaccine to the entire population. He stated, "If I'm elected president, I'll begin by implementing an effective distribution plan from the minute I take office." Biden assured the public that any future vaccine would be distributed equitably and provided first to those at greatest risk. He expressed his trust in vaccines and scientists but emphasized his distrust of Trump, saying, "I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump, and at this moment, the American people can't either."
Biden's concerns centered on the potential politicization of vaccine approval and distribution, as he believed Trump's comments on vaccine timing were irresponsible. He asserted that the timing, approval, and distribution of vaccines should be free from political influence. Biden's statements reflect his commitment to ensuring a well-coordinated vaccine distribution process and restoring trust in scientific expertise.
Indeed, once in office, Biden took stronger steps than the previous administration to coordinate vaccine distribution. This is evidenced by the higher vaccination rates in states that voted for him. However, it is worth noting that the vaccines themselves were developed before Biden took office, and the Trump administration had ordered millions of doses. Nonetheless, Biden's actions as president demonstrate his commitment to effective vaccine distribution and addressing the public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Biden said, "I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don't trust Donald Trump."
Biden was speaking about the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine and trying to draw a clear line between his distrust of the president and his trust in scientists and vaccines.
No, Biden specifically stated that he trusted scientists and vaccines but did not trust then-President Trump.
Yes, Biden said, "If I could get a vaccine tomorrow, I'd do it. If it cost me the election, I'd do it. We need a vaccine and we need it now."
Yes, Biden said, "Their timing, approval, and distribution should never be distorted by political considerations. They should be determined by science and safety alone."
