Trump calls Fauci a 'disaster' but says it's a 'bigger bomb' to fire him | Inquirer News

Trump calls Fauci a ‘disaster’ but says it’s a ‘bigger bomb’ to fire him

/ 06:55 AM October 20, 2020

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., October 19, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

LAS VEGAS/WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci a “disaster” on Monday, airing his frustration with the scientist during a call meant to reassure campaign staff he has a path to victory on Nov. 3 despite trailing in opinion polls.

Trump and Fauci, a member of his coronavirus task force, have been at odds over how best to handle a pandemic that has killed more than 219,000 people in the United States and weakened the Republican president’s case for re-election.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fauci, 79, who has served under Republican and Democratic presidents and is one of the most admired scientists in the United States, has urged that COVID-19 continue to be taken seriously. Trump has suggested the worst has passed.

FEATURED STORIES

“Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths,” Trump said during the call, which the campaign allowed reporters to join.

Fauci has openly complained about being cited in a Trump re-election campaign advertisement that discussed the administration’s pandemic response, and said in an interview broadcast on Sunday night by CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he was not surprised Trump himself contracted the virus.

Trump, speaking from his signature hotel in Las Vegas ahead of two rallies in Arizona, said Fauci bombed during TV interviews but that it would be “a bigger bomb if you fire him.”

Fauci’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump said Americans were fed up with pandemic restrictions.

“People are saying: ‘Whatever. Just leave us alone.’ They’re tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots,” said Trump, whose rallies include many supporters not wearing masks and standing shoulder to shoulder, at odds with the guidance of Fauci and other public health experts.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Fauci is a nice guy. He’s been here for 500 years,” Trump added.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander issued a statement calling Fauci, who has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, “one of our country’s most distinguished public servants.”

“If more Americans paid attention to his advice, we’d have fewer cases of COVID-19, and it would be safer to go back to school and back to work and out to eat,” Alexander said.

Trump’s conference call was intended to buck up his national team of campaign workers amid a spate of stories suggesting a campaign in turmoil.

With 15 days until Election Day, Democrat Joe Biden holds a lead in national opinion polls and in many battleground states where the election is likely to be decided.

“We have momentum at the exact time that we want momentum,” campaign manager Bill Stepien said on the call.

Trump called news stories about internal strife “bullshit” and said he felt he was in a better position now than four years ago when he scored an improbable victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

“This is the best I’ve ever felt,” he said.

Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said over the weekend that national poll figures were misleading because must-win states were close.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

“Every indication we have shows that this thing is going to come down to the wire,” she wrote in a memo to donors.

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.

TAGS: COVID-19, United States

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.