President Donald Trump is defending his positive COVID-19 diagnosis while pointing to former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill.

Trump did his first phone interview since he made his diagnosis known to the public just before 1 a.m. on Oct 2.

During his interview on Fox News’ “Mornings with Maria” Thursday, Trump said he is “essentially very clean” from COVID-19.

“I just went in and I didn’t feel good, and that’s OK,” the president continued. “I expected it at some point because I’m out there. I’ve gotta be a leader.”

Trump added, “Winston Churchill didn’t sit in his basement for six months, I’ve got a lot of things doing.”

Listen to Trump’s comments below:

The president also said, “I’d love to do a rally,” adding, “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.”

Trump held campaign rallies with large crowds despite the coronavirus pandemic, which he received push back from Democrats for doing.

Advertisement

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said after the president and first lady’s positive COVID-19 tests that the news is received with “great sadness” but “going into crowds, unmasked and all the rest was sort of a brazen invitation for something like this to happen.”

During his Fox News interview, the president also slammed the Commission on Presidential Debates’ decision announced on Thursday to make the second presidential debate on Oct. 15 virtual. Trump declared he is “not going to waste my time on a virtual debate,” as IJR reported.