Tuesday 07 / April / 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that "whatever happens" his administration won’t order new lockdowns and that only "time will tell" if another administration would impose one.
Speaking from the White House Rose Garden in his first public appearance since his defeat by President-elect Joe Biden, Trump reiterated: "This administration will not be going to a lockdown.''
"Ideally we won't go to a lockdown," he said. "I will not go. This administration will not be going to a lockdown.
"Hopefully, whatever happens in the future, who knows which administration it will be, I guess time will tell, but I can tell you this administration will not go to a lockdown," Trump said.
Trump, who was hospitalized with COVID-19, has consistently played down the pandemic, which has globally killed 1.3 million people and infected more than 53 million, including over 244,000 deaths and 10 million infections in the US. But on Friday, as states impose new restrictions while infections surge in the country, Trump appealed to citizens to remain "vigilant."
Biden has not endorsed a nationwide lockdown but in a statement on Friday called on Trump to take "urgent action" in fighting the virus.
Trump vows Americans will get vaccine
Trump also said a coronavirus vaccine could be available to the public as soon as April next year.
He said a vaccine would ship "in a matter of weeks" to vulnerable populations.
The Food and Drug Administration, however, has not yet been asked to grant the necessary emergency approvals, scientific head of Operation Warp Speed Moncef Slaoui said two vaccines and two therapeutics may be granted emergency use by the end of the year.
Speaking next to Trump, the former head of GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine department said he expects to have enough vaccines to immunize 20 million Americans in December and another 20 million a month later.
Slaoui vouched for the safety of the vaccines in development.
"While we are not there yet, we are close to the objective'' to having a vaccine ready for deployment by the end of 2020, he said.
Though Trump on Friday appeared to acknowledge for the first time that Biden could succeed him, he continues to level allegations of widespread election voter fraud.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump is "not even at that point yet'' when it comes to conceding to Biden.
