President Donald Trump Friday declared coronavirus to be a "much smarter" enemy than those pushing claims of Russian collusion against him, and said the battle against it is going well, even if the pandemic should have been "stopped at the source by China."
He also said during an hour-long interview on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" that he'll be making a decision "very soon" on what to do about the United States' participation with the World Health Organization, calling it a "puppet for China."
"We held back almost $500 million from them and I'll make a decision but think of it," Trump said. "We're paying $450 million and China's paying $38 million and yet, China tells them what to do. How does that work?"
Meanwhile, Trump said he's being tested every day for coronavirus after one of his personal valets tested positive for COVID-19, but he has not yet been tested for the antibody to show whether or not he's already had the disease.
"Some people had it that don't even know they had it, who knows, but we are going to be [tested with] the antibody test that's made tremendous progress, and at some point, probably soon, I will be [tested]," said Trump. "I've been tested a number of times, and that new machine that we developed, and we just, it just came out over the last two months, the Abbott Laboratories machine is great because it's a five-minute, very accurate test and yet it's five minutes."
The valet, a member of the U.S. Navy, is a person who serves Trump's food. The president said Friday the staff has already started wearing masks.
"He is a gentleman, a very good guy, but he was, I guess, off for three or four days and then off over the weekend and then off on Monday, and on Tuesday, he was in the room," said Trump. "I don't think [there was] any contact, but he was in the room and then I went to get tested and I tested fine."
Vice President Mike Pence has also been tested daily, as he was often in the same room as the valet.
"Testing is not necessarily the answer because they were testing them, they tested them four days before, and now I guess everybody is being tested every day," said the president.
Meanwhile, as the nation takes its first steps toward reopening, the president called Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther, who was jailed after refusing to apologize for keeping her shop open, an example of what's happening nationally as people want to go back to work.
"I thought he was a terrible judge," said Trump, praising Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton for their work in the case.
"She's an incredible representative for a large group of people that want to do the same thing," said Trump, denying that protesters are speaking out because they want him to be reelected.
"I've looked at a couple of states that are being absolutely ridiculous but ultimately, the people are forcing it," said Trump. "[California Governor] Gavin Newsom has been very generous to me in his statements, and I appreciate it, but I think they can move a little quicker in California."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.