Trump claims disinfectant comments were 'sarcastic' after facing massive backlash

President Donald Trump insisted Friday that he was being "sarcastic" when he raised the possibility of disinfectants being injected into people to combat COVID-19.

Trump made the comments at the White House coronavirus briefing Thursday evening.

Hours later, the maker of Lysol and another disinfectant said its products should "under no circumstance" be used as an internal treatment for the coronavirus.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Friday, Trump said he was "asking a sarcastic, and a very sarcastic question to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside."

But he said, disinfectant "does kill it and it would kill it on the hands, and that would make things much better."

Asked if he was encouraging Americans to inject disinfectant into their bodies, Trump said, "Of course not."