Trump admits he offered taxpayer-funded COVID tests to Big Ten football teams to start playing because he was furious that Biden's campaign ran an ad blaming President for empty stadiums
President Donald Trump admitted he offered taxpayer funded COVID tests to Big Ten football teams to start playing because he was furious over a Joe Biden campaign ad that blamed the president for empty stadiums.
'That's actually what got me into gear,' Trump told Fox Sports Radio's Clay Travis Thursday morning. 'That was such a dirty thing to do. It was because of that I actually activated and got it done.'
The ad, which was released in late August, showed empty stadiums - including Pittsburgh's Heinz Field and Michigan's 'Big House' - beaches and church pews, and said 'Trump put America on the sidelines,' as the Star Spangled Banner played.
President Donald Trump, photographed during Wednesday's press briefing, said on Fox Sports Radio Thursday morning that he offered COVID tests to Big Ten teams and was inspired to push them to play after seeing a Joe Biden attack ad
The ad, which came out in August and played in key swing states, showed empty stadiums, beaches and church pews and blasted the president's coronavirus crisis response saying, 'Trump put American on the sidelines'
The ad featured a number of recognizable stadiums including the University of Michigan's. A member of the Big Ten, Michigan's team will commence playing football in the next few weeks after the season was originally postponed
The Biden campaign ran the ad in swing states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona.
'That ad is one of the reasons I got it open,' Trump told Travis.
The president also confirmed ABC News' reporting that the White House offered COVID-19 tests to Big Ten conference players in order to restart the sports' season.
Trump recalled the conversation he had with Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren.
'Look, we'll help you with testing, we'll get you everything that you need, but you've got to get it back for those states,' Trump told Travis he told Warren.
'Those states want it. They're real football states, as you can understand,' Trump continued. 'And great teams.'
A number of Big Ten schools are also in swing states, including Penn State University - which is located in the center of Pennsylvania, a more hospitable geogrpahic area for Trump - as well as the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and The Ohio State University.
'Big Ten just needed some confidence and some backing,' Trump explained. 'We got it going, we got it started, we were able to show them the different testings.'
After his initial call to Warren, Trump directed his staff to provide any federal resources to the conference that it may need, a senior administration official told ABC News.
The Big Ten ended up sourcing coronavirus tests from a private company instead of the U.S. government.
Widespread, rapid coronavirus testing is still not readily available in the United States, though has improved in recent weeks.
Biden's fate as a candidate could depend on how Americans perceive Trump's coronavirus crisis response.
On Wednesday, he sat down for a COVID-19 briefing with medical experts in Wilmington, Delaware and then laid out his plans for how the U.S. could get a safe coronavirus vaccine in a brief speech.
Trump has fought back by calling Biden names.
'Joe is not mentally equipped to be president. He wasn't 25 years ago,' the president told Travis on Thursday.
'These are real lowlifes,' he said of Biden's campaign team, when asked about the empty stadiums ad, adding that Biden was running 'the most dishonest campaign I've ever seen.'