Trump says catching COVID-19 was a ‘blessing from God’

(Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that catching the coronavirus was a “blessing from God” that exposed to him to experimental treatments he vowed would become free for all Americans, in his first video message since leaving hospital.

Trump, eager to revitalize his ailing re-election campaign, repeatedly stressed how well he felt so far in his recovery from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It was unclear if he was still testing positive for the virus.

“I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it. This was a blessing in disguise,” Trump said, adding that his use of the medication from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc had allowed him to experience first-hand how effective it could be.

Trump, who has been widely criticized for a slow response to the pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 Americans and putting his own staff at risk by discouraging the use of masks in the White House and on the campaign trail, also cited similar medication from Eli Lilly and Co.

“I want to get for you what I got. And I’m going to make it free,” Trump said.