That explanation of his Saturday night rally comment comes after several White House officials asserted that the President was speaking “in jest” when he told supporters this past weekend that he had told members of the administration to slow down coronavirus testing.

In the interview with CBN News, Trump was asked directly if he told his administration to slow down testing, as he said at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night.

Trump also said his comment in Tulsa was “semi-tongue in cheek” and asserted that “when you do more testing you find more cases.”

Earlier Monday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters during a press briefing that Trump was speaking “in jest” and “in passing” at the rally.

Earlier Monday, Trump did not directly answer when asked by a Scripps reporter if he had requested to pare back testing.