Stella Immanuel: Trump's favored Covid-19 expert echoes anti-mask stance, believes in alien DNA, demon sperm
President Donald J Trump shared a controversial video on Monday, July 27, featuring a doctor from Houston who touted hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus cure. Within hours, the doctor, Stella Immanuel, became a star on the right-wing Internet, garnering millions of views in just a day. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., also shared the same video, calling it a "must watch."
Immanuel, in the clip, also echoed Trump's initial anti-mask stance, suggesting face coverings were not necessary to stop the transmission of the deadly virus. Her claim runs contrary to medical experts worldwide who have insisted on the use of a face mask to stem the viral spread, including the CDC in the United States. This is not the only outrageous claim made by the pediatrician, the professional reportedly also holds an opinion on alien DNA and the physical effects of having sexual intercourse with demons and witches in your dreams.
The doctor, also a religious minister, reportedly has a history of making bizarre otherworldly claims about medical issues. Immanuel has reportedly often claimed that gynecological problems like cysts and endometriosis are caused by people having intercourse with demons and witches in their dreams. She has also alleged that current medical treatments involved the use of alien DNA, and that scientists are formulating a vaccine to prevent people from being religious.
Immanuel, despite appearing in Washington DC to lobby Congress on Monday, has also claimed that the US government is partly run by "reptilians" and aliens.
In the viral video, the pediatrician can be seen on the steps of the Supreme Court at the 'White Coat Summit,' surrounded by a group of doctors who call themselves America’s Frontline Doctors and contest the general medical consensus on Covid-19. Immanuel, in her speech, alleged that she had successfully treated hundreds of patients with hydroxychloroquine, a controversial treatment, which the president has claimed to have taken himself. “Nobody needs to get sick,” Immanuel said. “This virus has a cure.” Studies, however, have not been able to find any proof of the drug's benefit in coronavirus treatment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), last month, had also revoked the emergency authorization of the drug to treat it for coronavirus.
Immanuel also claimed in her speech that the supposed potency of hydroxychloroquine meant that people did not have to use protective masks. She claimed that she and her staff had avoided contracting the virus despite wearing medical masks instead of N95 masks, which are considered more secure. She said: "Hello, you don’t need a mask. There is a cure."
Shortly after the video was posted on social media “hydroxychloroquine” began trending on Twitter as the Trumps, conservative student group Turning Point USA, and pro-Trump personalities like Diamond & Silk all appreciated and shared the video. The controversial clip, however, was removed by Facebook and Twitter, citing against Covid-19 disinformation. Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr's account was also suspended by Twitter on Monday for posting "misleading and potentially harmful information" about the novel coronavirus.
The move by the social media giant comes amid ongoing tensions between Trump and Twitter over the microblogging site's approach to the Republican's post. A Twitter spokesperson on Monday confirmed the move, saying the firm has temporarily locked Trump Jr's account. "The Tweet is in violation of our COVID-19 misinformation policy," a spokesperson said. "The account will be locked until the account owner removes the tweet."