Trump calls Pelosi ‘waste of time’ and alleges she has ‘mental problems’ after ‘morbidly obese’ comments

Donald Trump refused to directly respond to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's criticism over his decision to take an unproven malaria drug to prevent coronavirus because he is "morbidly obese," but minutes later he accused her of having "mental problems."

"I don't respond to her," the president told reporters on Capitol Hill. "I think she's a waste of time."

Later in his comments to reporters, Mr Trump said "these people are sick".

"Pelosi is a sick woman. She's got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems."

"We're dealing with people that have to get their act together for the good of the country."

Mr Trump revealed on Monday that he had been taking the malaria drug for weeks, even though he had tested negative on numerous occasions.

When asked about the FDA's warnings that hydroxychloroquine could cause serious side effects, Mr Trump said he's "worked with doctors".

"If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape, they were very old, almost dead, it was a Trump enemy statement," he said.

"Now, if you look at some of the reports that came out from Italy, that came out from France, that came out from other, a lot of front line workers take it because possibly and I think it does, but you know, people are going to have to make up their own minds, plus it doesn't hurt people. It's been out on the market for 60 years or 65 years for malaria, lupus and other things."

"I think it gives you an additional level of safety, but you can ask many doctors who are in favour of it."

Ms Pelosi, the Democratic House Speaker, shared her concerns about Mr Trump's actions during an interview with CNN host Anderson Cooper on Monday night.

"He's our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists," said Ms Pelosi.

"Especially in his age group and in his, shall we say, weight group... morbidly obese, they say".

When asked whether he was satisfied with how Republican senators responded to the case of Michael Flynn and the origins of the Russia investigation, Mr Trump brought the conversation back to Ms Pelosi and how she was "sick".

"Despite an illegal witch hunt, and that's what it was it was a hoax it was a witch hunt. The Russian thing was a made-up fabricated story," Mr Trump said.

"Just like they went to congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, I don't know her at all, and they said you're a Russian agent. I don't know her but I know she's not a Russian agent. Then they went to Dr Jill Stein of the Green party. They said she's a Russian agent. I don't know her at all I know she's not a Russian agent. These people are sick."