Coronavirus vaccine: Donald Trump Jr floats conspiracy theory about timing of Pfizer’s announcement

Leading figures from Donald Trump’s inner circle are taking in the news that pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has developed a 90 per cent effective coronavirus vaccine – and their reactions are less than unanimous.

Shortly after the news was announced on Monday, Donald Trump Jr revived the theory that the vaccine was held back to hurt his father’s chances. “The timing of this is pretty amazing,” he tweeted. “Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right?”

He also shared an article from the Daily Mail reporting on a letter to the UK government from 500 academics that claims the government’s response to the pandemic has become “disproportionate”.

Despite clocking up thousands of likes in short order, his message was also met with hundreds of replies voicing ridicule and disdain.

Among those dissenting was writer and former Republican operative David Frum. “As your Bible-reading supporters could tell you, plagues often abate when a sinning nation mends its ways,” he wrote.

More importantly, Mr Trump’s tweet puts him at odds with much of the rest of Trumpworld – including his father.

“STOCK MARKET UP BIG, VACCINE COMING SOON,” the president tweeted. “REPORT 90% EFFECTIVE. SUCH GREAT NEWS!”

Before the election, however, Mr Trump many times made clear that he specifically wanted an effective vaccine developed before 3 November in order to shore up his chances of re-election. He also claimed that under Joe Biden, vaccine development would slow down and lockdowns would become more austere.

Beyond the president, many of his supporters joined in the celebrations, many of them on the premise that Mr Trump should be credited for Pfizer’s success.

Right-wing pundit Mark Levin, who interviewed the president over the weekend, was positive: “Well done Pfizer-Biontech and well done Mr President!  This is what will save lives, not Biden’s empty talk. This is called SCIENCE Biden, Democrats, and media!  And President Trump should tout it all day long!”

Also joining in the upbeat mood were Nikki Haley, Mr Trump’s former UN ambassador and an early prospect for the 2024 Republican nomination; Scott Atlas, the president’s top coronavirus adviser; and Ivanka Trump.

Mike Pence, meanwhile, both congratulated Pfizer and lauded the administration’s supposed role in creating the vaccine. “HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President @realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90 per cent of its volunteers.”

However, Pfizer has made clear it did not join the administration’s accelerated vaccine development programme, Operation Warp Speed, and received no money from the US government for its research. The public-private partnership that Mr Pence and others are referring to was part of a $2bn (£1.5bn) deal meant to guarantee any vaccine found to be viable would find a sustainable market.