Anthony Fauci reveals how Trump regularly spoils COVID-19 briefings in surprisingly blunt interview

March 23, 2020 By Matthew Chapman


On Monday, writing for the Washington Post, Aaron Blake of “The Fix” broke down the latest interview in Science magazine with federal disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci — and how it reveals his frustration with the position in which President Donald Trump has put him.

Much attention has been paid to Fauci’s line “I know, but what do you want me to do?” in response to charges that Trump’s remarks about coronavirus are factually wrong. But an even more revealing example of Fauci’s frustration came later, when he said, “somebody writes a speech. Then he gets up and ad-libs on his speech.”


This line reveals the impossible position Trump has created for medical experts in his employ — he has repeatedly downplayed the threat of coronavirus, or tried to spin the facts into the best possible light, which completely undercuts much of what government health officials are trying to tell the public.
“It’s been evident for a while that Trump indeed ‘goes his own way’ on many things, despite that advice,” wrote Blake. “Fauci seems to be only so willing to downplay Trump’s unwieldiness in the face of a true crisis. He openly admits the things Trump says could ‘lead to some misunderstanding about what the facts are about a given subject.’ That’s far from an ideal situation.”

“If there’s one person in this whole saga who has built up vast reserves of credibility, it’s Fauci,” concluded Blake. “And even he seems to recognize that shooting straight might not be great for his long-term employability in the administration.”

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