Donald Trump supporters booed and jeered when he announced on Sunday that he had received a booster shot for the vaccine and was in favor of it.
During an appearance on Bill O'Reilly's "History Tour", Trump made comments. Newsweek reported on the remarks.
At the event, Trump mentioned that the vaccine was developed under his administration. "We saved tens of millions of lives worldwide when we got a vaccine done, we did something that was historic," Trump said.
This was going to ruin the country far beyond what it is right now. Trump said to take credit for it. We've done something that is historic. Don't let them take it away.
The former president was applauded by the crowd when he said that he was against vaccine mandates. No mandates.
The crowd's reaction changed when Trump and O'Reilly revealed they had gotten booster shots.
After O'Reilly told the audience that he and Trump were both vaccine free, he asked Trump if he received a booster shot, to which Trump replied, "Yes."
O'Reilly said he did too.
Newsweek reported that the crowd booed Trump and that he had to calm the audience down because they appeared to be coming from one side of the arena.
"Don't, don't, don't," Trump said. That's all right. It's a small group up there.
After telling reporters that he wouldn't be getting a booster shot, Trump said over the weekend that he would.
He told The Wall Street Journal in September that he probably wouldn't get one. He said, "I'm not against it, but it's probably not for me."
A large portion of Trump's base is reluctant to get the vaccine, despite the mixed messages he has sent.
While the Biden administration has pushed Americans hard to get one of the three available COVID-19 vaccines, which have proved effective at significantly reducing the likelihood of hospitalization and death from the disease, Trump has said that while the shots are safe, Americans should not be required to get them.
After the vaccine was first developed, the former president encouraged Americans to get their vaccinations. The New York Times reported that Trump and his wife received their vaccines privately before he left office.
The contrast between Trump's approach to getting vaccinations and that of other public officials was stark.
In March, the former presidents released an ad campaign urging Americans to get vaccinations. Only Trump did not participate in the video.
