Trump: I Was Being Sarcastic About Internal Use of Disinfectants

President Donald Trump said Friday that he was being sarcastic when he raised the possibility of using disinfectant inside people's bodies to fight coronavirus.

Trump said at his daily news briefing on Thursday that scientists should explore whether inserting light or disinfectant into the bodies of people infected with the new coronavirus might help them treat the respiratory illness caused by the virus.

"I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen," Trump told reporters Friday at an Oval Office bill signing.

Trump on Thursday raised the issues during the daily White House coronavirus briefing after a Department of Homeland Security presentation detailed finding that  the coronavirus deteriorates more quickly when subjected to higher levels of heat, humidity and ultraviolet rays from the sun.

"So, supposing 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," Trump said, according to The Hill. "And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside of the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you’re going to test that too. Sounds interesting."

Trump also asked if there was a way to use disinfectants on the body "by injection inside or almost a cleaning."