Washington: Donald Trump said he was unaware Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had banned the export of a drug that the U.S. president believes is effective against coronavirus and said he asked Modi for a supply of the medicine.
“I don’t like that decision. I didn’t hear that was his decision,” Trump said at the White House Monday. “I would be surprised if that was his decision. He would have to tell me that.”
Trump said in a recent phone conversation with the prime minister that the U.S. would “appreciate” allowing a U.S. order of the drug “to come out.”
India announced an export ban on the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine on Sunday. Trump has promoted the drug as a possible coronavirus treatment despite an absence of quality clinical trials for the medicine.
The U.S. had obtained 29 million chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine pills for its medical stockpile, Trump said.
“If he doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be OK, but of course there may be retaliation, why wouldn’t that be,” Trump said. –Bloomberg
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