Fauci says he used the 'wrong choice of words' when describing 'pushback' from White House
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesDuring Monday's White House coronavirus briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci said comments he made over the weekend were not meant to be jabs against President Trump.
Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force. While appearing on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday morning, Fauci told host Jake Tapper that in February, there was "a lot of pushback" to the idea of enacting social distancing guidelines, and "you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives." The White House issued social distancing guidelines on March 16.
On Monday, Fauci said he was answering a "hypothetical question," and stating that there was "a lot of pushback" was "the wrong choice of words." When asked if Trump suggested he offer the clarification, Fauci responded, "Everything I do is voluntarily. Please. Don't even imply that." Catherine GarciaTrump attacks Dr. Fauci and the New York Times
Trump on Sunday reposted a tweet calling for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired, and slammed a New York Times report that detailed how he was warned about the likelihood of a global pandemic but repeatedly resisted the advice of health care and intelligence experts.
In an interview with CNN, Fauci conceded that “logically” fewer people would have been infected if stay-at-home and social-distancing measures had been imposed in February, instead of mid-March. Fauci went to great lengths to explain that the decision was based on many considerations, but Trump still retweeted a message from former Republican congressional candidate, DeAnna Lorraine.
“Fauci was telling people on February 29 that there was nothing to worry about and it posed no threat to the U.S. at large,” said the tweet, which had the hashtag: Time to #FireFauci.”
Trump also attacked Fox News Anchor Chris Wallace for covering the New York Times article and for commenting that at his daily briefings, he’s been “getting into fights with governors he did not think were sufficiently appreciative or reporters.”
It was not the first time that Trump has bashed Wallace, whom the president said will never live up to his father’s legacy and should go work for one of the “fake news” networks.
Capitol ReportFauci says he used poor choice of words when describing Trump coronavirus efforts
Published: April 13, 2020 By Robert Schroeder
White House says Trump won’t fire doctor after critical retweet
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
White House says Trump won’t fire doctor after critical retweet
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
AFP via Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday tried to clarify comments he made in a Sunday interview about the Trump administration’s coronavirus response, and said he used a “poor choice of words.”
At a White House news conference, Fauci, a health-policy adviser to Trump, said he wanted to clear up an answer to a “hypothetical question,” in which he said earlier coronavirus mitigation efforts would have saved more lives.
“That was taken as a way that maybe somehow, something was at fault,” he said. Fauci added that Trump approved social distancing the first time he recommended it. He said his statement that there was “pushback” to early recommendations was a “poor choice of words.”
“You could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives,” Fauci said on CNN on Sunday.
Fauci on Monday said he did not know the date that he and another official went to Trump to make a recommendation.
Earlier Monday, the White House said Trump wouldn’t fire Fauci, after the president retweeted a critic who called for the doctor to be dismissed after he said lives could have been saved if the administration had acted more quickly.
Trump told reporters, “I like him,” adding: “Not everyone’s happy with Anthony. Not everybody is happy with everybody.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday tried to clarify comments he made in a Sunday interview about the Trump administration’s coronavirus response, and said he used a “poor choice of words.”
At a White House news conference, Fauci, a health-policy adviser to Trump, said he wanted to clear up an answer to a “hypothetical question,” in which he said earlier coronavirus mitigation efforts would have saved more lives.
“That was taken as a way that maybe somehow, something was at fault,” he said. Fauci added that Trump approved social distancing the first time he recommended it. He said his statement that there was “pushback” to early recommendations was a “poor choice of words.”
“You could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives,” Fauci said on CNN on Sunday.
Fauci on Monday said he did not know the date that he and another official went to Trump to make a recommendation.
Earlier Monday, the White House said Trump wouldn’t fire Fauci, after the president retweeted a critic who called for the doctor to be dismissed after he said lives could have been saved if the administration had acted more quickly.
Trump told reporters, “I like him,” adding: “Not everyone’s happy with Anthony. Not everybody is happy with everybody.”
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