DES MOINES (Iowa) • Under siege over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump has cited what he said was his son's mild bout of the virus as a reason that American schools should reopen as soon as possible.
The Republican President made the comment about his son Barron while at a rally at Des Moines International Airport in Iowa, on a mission to shore up support in battleground states that he won in 2016 but is in danger of losing to Democratic candidate Joe Biden barely three weeks before the Nov 3 election.
"I don't even think he knew he had it," Mr Trump said on Wednesday of his 14-year-old son, "because they're young and their immune systems are strong and they fight it off. Ninety-nine per cent and Barron is beautiful. And he's free".
He added: "Barron's tested positive. Within, like, two seconds it was Barron is just fine now. He's tested negative, right? Because it happens. People have it and it goes. Get the kids back to school, we've got to get the kids back to school."
Mr Trump has sought to convince states to reopen schools, but teachers' unions have fought the move, arguing that teachers could be infected by their students.
Funding for protective measures at schools has been caught up in a partisan fight in Washington.
REUTERS