Chris Evans Blasts Donald Trump’s ‘Disinfectant’ Comments With Salient Breakdown

Actor Chris Evans was among the many criticizing President Donald Trump, who suggested his Thursday comments about exploring heat, light and disinfectants as possible treatments for COVID-19 were really sarcastic. The Captain America actor joined many in sharing skepticism, noting how seriously Trump made his original comments, which were clearly directed at the officials in the White House briefing room, on Thursday.

“C’mon, Biff,” Evans tweeted, referring to the Back to the Future villain. “You know you were being filmed when you said it, right? In no way whatsoever were you: A. Being sarcastic. B. Speaking to reporters. You were speaking directly to medical experts without a shred of sarcasm.”

On Thursday, Trump spoke after William Bryan, the chief of the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, spoke about the research being done to fight the coronavirus. “And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute,” Trump said. “And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds, it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute.”

Trump also asked Dr. Deborah Brix, a member of the White House pandemic response team, about using “light and heat to cure.” Brix said she had not heard about that being used as a “treatment” for the coronavirus, adding, “I mean, certainly fever is a good thing. When you have a fever, it helps your body respond. But, I’ve not seen heat or light as a [treatment].”

Following the uproar and shock Trump’s comments caused on social media, the president was asked about them Friday morning when he signed a new coronavirus relief package. Trump claimed he “sarcastically” asked the question to reporters.

“I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters just like you, just to see what would happen,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “I was asking a sarcastic and a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside. But it does kill it and it would kill it on the hands, and it would make things much better.”

Ingesting disinfectants is dangerous, and Lysol manufacturer Reckitt Bennckiser issued a statement warning people not to misuse its products. “As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route),” the U.K. based company said. “As with all products, our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information. We have a responsibility in providing consumers with access to accurate, up-to-date information as advised by leading public health experts.”