Apparently, Donald Trump Doesn't Know the Difference Between HPV and HIV
He asked Bill Gates to explain it to him.
Donald Trump, man who makes the final decisions about health care this country, is reportedly unsure about how HPV and HIV differ and asked Bill Gates to explain it to him. Twice.
MSNBC obtained a clip of Gates speaking at a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation staff meeting earlier this week. In it, Gates tells the group that he met Trump in December 2016 and again in March 2017, and on both occasions POTUS asked if human immune deficiency virus and human papillomavirus were the same thing.
"Both times he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV," Gates says. "So, I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other." (For a man who has as much sex as Trump allegedly does, you would think he would have figured this out already...)
RELATED STORY
First off, Bill Gates is not an M.D., so not sure why Trump chose the entrepreneur and philanthropist as his teacher on this matter. But secondly, in case anyone (Trump are you reading this?) is confused, while both can be transmitted via sexual activity, the similarities stop there. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that is generally symptomless and harmless, but can result in genital warts or even cancer, depending on the strain contracted. HIV is a virus that is spread through bodily fluids, including blood, and which attacks the immune system. When left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS.
In related news, today the Trump administration is announcing they are cutting off all federal funding to health clinics that offer abortion services. According to the New York Times, a new rule will "withhold money from any facility or program that promotes abortion or refers patients to a caregiver that will provide one." Sure, Trump is the person who should be making policy decisions about reproductive rights.
RELATED STORY
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Danielle McNally is a National Magazine Award–winning journalist. She is the executive editor of Marie Claire, overseeing features across every topic of importance to the MC reader: beauty, fashion, politics, culture, career, women's health, and more. She has previously written for Cosmopolitan, DETAILS, SHAPE, and Food Network Magazine.
-
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Show Up Together at the Same Event as Jennifer Lopez
The friendly exes arrived together while J.Lo separately attended the community event.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Lady Kitty Spencer Reveals How Her Cousin Prince William "Inspires" Her
"His efforts have made a significant impact."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
The Best Gifts for Fashion and Beauty Lovers, Straight from an Editor
And they start at only $16.
By Emma Walsh Published
-
Donald Trump Is Ordered to Pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 Million in Damages
Carroll had filed two defamation suits against the former president.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
E. Jean Carroll Triumphs Over Donald Trump In Civil Suit
A jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
By Brooke Knappenberger Last updated
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
By Emily Tisch Sussman Last updated
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich Published
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
By Sen. Tammy Duckworth Published
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
By Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of Pantsuit Politics Podcast Published
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to Know
The case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
By Megan DiTrolio Published