Trump Says ‘Warp Speed’ Vaccine Project Isn’t Over-Promising

President Donald Trump defended his administration’s effort to fast-track a coronavirus vaccine, saying Thursday that the project’s goal to produce 300 million doses by the end of the year isn’t too ambitious. “I’m not over-promising,” he said in a White House meeting with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. He complained that “if we come up with a vaccine in record time” his critics would say that he should’ve done it faster. The project, which the administration calls “Operation Warp Speed,” was first revealed in a Bloomberg News report on Wednesday. It aims to hasten the development of a vaccine by simultaneously testing many different candidates and beginning production before they’ve completed clinical trials. The government’s top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, has repeatedly cautioned that a vaccine shouldn’t be expected for at least 12 to 18 months, but Trump -- facing re-election in November -- wants it done much faster. There is no precedent for the timetable envisioned by the Warp Speed effort, however. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm QUICKTAKE ON SOCIAL: Follow QuickTake on Twitter: twitter.com/quicktake Like QuickTake on Facebook: facebook.com/quicktake Follow QuickTake on Instagram: instagram.com/quicktake Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2FJ0oQZ Email us at [email protected] QuickTake by Bloomberg is a global news network delivering up-to-the-minute analysis on the biggest news, trends and ideas for a new generation of leaders.