Fox’s Peter Doocy Asks Trump About Parasite Causing Explosive Diarrhea: ‘When Is It Going to Be Safe to Eat Lettuce Again?’

Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked President Donald Trump on Friday about the viral outbreak causing people to have explosive diarrhea.

The CDC’s latest update on the cyclosporiasis outbreak revealed that it spread to an additional four states — Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania — to bring the total up to nine. The virus, caused by the cyclospora parasite, has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce. Among the notable symptoms of the illness is diarrhea.

During a Friday press conference, Senior White House Correspondent Doocy asked the president when it would it safe to eat lettuce again. Trump was surprised by the question, then claimed he was weighing the possibility of imposing tariffs on Mexico in response to the outbreak. The exchange went as follows:

DOOCY: When is it gonna be safe to eat lettuce again?

TRUMP: I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. It’s the first time I’ve been asked that question. Are you eating lettuce recently?

DOOCY: I should always have more lettuce.

TRUMP: Because if you are, get out of here, Peter! No, it’s a very interesting question from you. I didn’t think you’d ask that kind of a question. Nobody wants to ask that question, but —

DOOCY: Well, there’s this food coming in — I guess, from Mexico. It’s tainted. It’s making a lot of people sick. That is the CDC’s terminology that I was using.

TRUMP: I think what we’re gonna do is we’re going to put a major tariff on Mexico because of the lettuce, and we’re going to put a big tariff on Canada because of the smoke.

Watch above via Fox News.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!