Trump Jokes About COVID When Health Secretary Kennedy Sneezes During Pfizer Drug Price Announcement

Robert F Kennedy Jr was positioned beside Donald Trump during a White House briefing when an unexpected moment occurred.

During a White House presentation on reducing prescription drug costs through a new Pfizer agreement, a lighthearted moment unfolded when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr sneezed into his elbow while standing directly behind President Donald Trump.

Trump, who was discussing his administration's efforts to lower insulin prices, immediately responded with humor, saying, "God bless you, Bobby. I hope I didn't catch Covid just there."

As laughter spread among the officials present, Trump quickly turned to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and jokingly requested, "Don't you have Paxlovid?"

"He's got Paxlovid. Give me a Paxlovid immediately," the President quipped, referencing the medication used for treating COVID-19 symptoms.

The interaction between Trump and Kennedy drew attention on social media, with video of the moment circulating widely.

During the same event, Trump announced that Pfizer had secured a three-year exemption from his recently imposed pharmaceutical tariffs. This arrangement will allow the company to avoid higher import fees, helping to maintain lower drug prices for American consumers.

The President also unveiled "TrumpRx," a new federal government website designed to enable consumers to purchase medications directly from Pfizer. This initiative aims to eliminate middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain, thereby reducing costs, though specific operational details were not provided.

"This is a really big announcement. This is something that most people said was not doable," Trump declared, emphasizing that medications in the United States would now be available at lower prices.

This announcement follows Trump's recent implementation of 100 percent tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs, set to take effect October 1st. However, he clarified that these tariffs would not apply to companies establishing manufacturing facilities within the United States.

The pharmaceutical import sector represents a significant portion of U.S. trade, with nearly $233 billion in pharmaceutical and medicinal products imported in 2024.

Earlier this year in July, Trump had sent correspondence to 17 major pharmaceutical companies requesting they match the lower prices at which their medicines are sold internationally, a policy he termed "most favoured nation pricing."