Donald Trump: FDA Move to Toughen Coronavirus Vaccine Approval Standards ‘a Political Move’

President Donald Trump reacted to the news that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering updating the standards for a coronavirus vaccine.

“That sounds like a political move,” Trump said during the White House press briefing on Wednesday, noting that their updated guidance would only lengthen the time that a coronavirus vaccine could be released to the public.

Reports on Tuesday revealed that the FDA was considering updating the guidance to companies for delivering a vaccine that would meet approval, a move that would delay the approval process by weeks.

Trump said that the White House would ultimately have to approve any additional guidelines, but he was critical of the process.

“I have tremendous trust in these massive companies that are so brilliantly organized in terms of what they’ve been doing with the tests,” he said.

President Trump has repeatedly said that a vaccine could be developed before the election, prompting Democrats like former Vice President Joe Biden to question the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

But Trump indicated that he was confident that the vaccine would be effective.

“When they come back and they say that we have something that works and absolutely works … I don’t see why it should be delayed further,” he said, and he added, “That’s a lot of lives that you’re talking about.”