Obama told SiriusXM’s Joe Madison that he understands why the African American community in particular would be wary of getting a jab, pointing to the long history of exploitation by medical establishments, such as in the notorious Tuskegee syphilis study.

“The fact of the matter is, is that vaccines are why we don't have... diseases [like polio, smallpox and measles] that used to decimate entire populations and communities," Obama said.

"I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed, just so that people know that I trust this science, and what I don't trust is getting Covid," Obama added.

CNN reports that President Bush has reached out to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Deborah Birx, who coordinates the White House Covid-19 task force, to “gladly” get his vaccine on camera once it is proven safe and given to priority populations.

President Clinton’s press secretary confirmed that he, too, would take a vaccine when made available to him according to public health priorities, and would be happy to “do it in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same.”