Rep. Clyburn on Trump and Operation Warp Speed: 'I'm glad he got out of the way'

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Could another COVID aid bill be coming under a Biden presidency?

House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C. joins 'Your World' to discuss what comes after current relief bill

President Trump's greatest contribution to the success of Operation Warp Speed in developing a coronavirus vaccine was getting "out of the way," House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., told "Your World" Monday. 

"I give the scientists a lot of credit for that," Clyburn told host Neil Cavuto. "And I'm glad he [Trump] got out of the way and stopped talking and he stopped having those press conferences every evening ... the scientists were free to use their creativity."

Clyburn, 80, added that he had received the vaccine "yesterday or day before, and I did because I believe in the scientists. I didn't put ... detergent in my veins [like] he advocated. You remember that. You remember him saying ... it would magically disappear. Why don't you talk about that?"

The Democrat was referring to comments from earlier this year in which the president mentioned "disinfectants" and "light" as potential remedies for the virus.

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Clyburn added that Trump "is absolutely responsible for what has happened here. In fact, that's why Joe Biden got seven million more votes than he got, because the American people know full well that he was lacking in leadership. You don't lead by every step. You lead by example. He has never set an example. And that's why we are where we are today. You know that."

Later in the interview, Clyburn attempted to deflect the question of whether Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., should step down from the House Intelligence Committee amid questions about his relationship with a suspected Chinese spy. 

"I don't know about the committee, but I know that this president has some ties to Putin, he has some ties to Russia," he said. "This president is so deferential to Russia --"

"I'm sorry, sir, that wasn't my question," Cavuto interjected. "I'm just asking about Eric Swalwell ... [and] if there is even the appearance of impropriety or something, that could be a risk to our nation's intelligence that a congressman who sits on that all important House Intelligence Committee should sit on it right now."

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"I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about," Clyburn answered. "You’re talking about 'appearance'. Because somebody said something doesn’t mean it’s so ...

"I'm not going to pass judgment on what Swalwell should or should not do when I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," he continued. "I took the president at his word. When the president said he believes Putin over his own intelligence people, I am taking him at his word. If Swalwell would tell me he believes Chinese over our intelligence people, I will say the same thing about him. So come on."