Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt continues to defend President Donald Trump, no matter if it makes sense. During a press briefing on April 15, Wall Street Journal reporter Annie Linskey asked Leavitt about Trump’s comments on diet soda killing cancer cells.
For context, the president’s odd claim came to light after Dr. Mehmet Oz appeared on the Triggered podcast with Donald Trump Jr., where he said, “Your dad argues that diet soda is good for him because it kills grass, so it must kill cancer cells inside the body.”
Referring to that, Linskey asked Leavitt, “I’m wondering if this accurately describes how the president sees it?” The press secretary was ready and, she said, “As we all know in this room, I think you know the president has a very good sense of humor. It’s one of his most underreported characteristics, I would say. I have heard him tell this joke before.”
She then took a jab at the reporter and added, “I think the Wall Street Journal should get a better sense of humor.”
It’s true that Trump has previously made such comments. The president has often shared odd medical theories without scientific evidence to back them up. However, whether those comments are merely jokes, as Leavitt claimed, or if Trump believes them, is unclear.
Besides shedding light on Trump’s theory of diet soda killing cancer cells, as The Guardian reported, Dr. Oz also described a recent interaction with the president. The doctor said, “You know, we were on Air Force One the other day, and I [walked] in there because he [wanted] to talk about something and he’s got an orange soft drink on his desk.”
He continued, “And I say, ‘Are you kidding me?’ So, he starts to sheepishly grin, and he goes, ‘You know, “This stuff’s good for me. It kills cancer cells.” And then he tells me, “It’s fresh-squeezed, so how bad could it be for you?”
Donald Trump Jr. did not miss the opportunity to hype up his father, saying there weren’t many men of Trump’s age who were as active and agile as the president. He added, “Perhaps he is just the exception that proves the rule? I’m not saying we’ve got to adopt this, but you know, maybe there’s something there because, again, I see a lot of guys at 80 who can’t think or walk.”
It should be noted that there has been consistent concern about Trump’s declining health ever since he began his second term. However, the president and his administration keep claiming that he is doing great, despite publicly visible instances of Trump falling asleep during meetings or losing his train of thought while speaking that suggest otherwise.