By Michael Koziol
Copyright brisbanetimes
Donald Trump often casts himself as a mere observer – a commentator on American public life rather than its most powerful practitioner and influencer. Whether on Truth Social, in an interview or at a doorstep encounter, he is never shy about venturing his “take” on sport, television, celebrities, you name it. He loves to gossip about things he has “heard”.
Sometimes, this is charming. Often it is funny. When the stakes are low, it’s generally harmless. Not so when the president of the United States volunteers, at great length, his ill-informed and ill-conceived “feelpinions” about medicine – especially vaccines and autism.
Monday’s news conference made for genuine “head in your hands” watching. It was not enough for Trump to surround himself with vaccine sceptics like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr or medical contrarians such as Food and Drug Administration commissioner Marty Makary, and have them announce a significant shift in official advice for pregnant women regarding paracetamol.
No, Trump had to give his own two cents. But it was more like $20, so lengthy, repetitive and potentially damaging were his contributions. It was ivermectin all over again.
