Fauci says he's a 'realist,' not an 'alarmist' after Trump description
Dr. Anthony Fauci is lightly pushing back on some comments from President Trump.
Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and member of the White House coronavirus task force, spoke to Maria Shriver on Instagram this week, and responded to a question about Trump's recent declaration that he's a "little bit of an alarmist."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When Shriver asked Fauci if he thought the description was "unfair" since he's just "dealing with reality," Fauci responded, "I believe so. But then again, others have different opinions."
Trump's comment in an interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace, in which he also said he has a "very good relationship" with Fauci but that the infectious disease expert has "made some mistakes," came after days of Trump administration officials attacking Fauci. Peter Navarro, White House trade adviser, wrote an op-ed in which he claimed Fauci "has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on," and Fauci subsequently told The Atlantic the recent attacks from these officials are "bizarre" and only "reflect poorly on them."
Fauci has repeatedly expressed dire warnings about the state of the coronavirus crisis in the U.S., in contrast with Trump's more rosy view on the pandemic. In the discussion with Shriver, Fauci again stressed the need to get the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. down significantly "if we want to go into the fall and winter in good shape."
-
5 cinematic cartoons about Bezos betting big on 'Melania'Cartoons Artists take on a girlboss, a fetching newspaper, and more
-
The fall of the generals: China’s military purgeIn the Spotlight Xi Jinping’s extraordinary removal of senior general proves that no-one is safe from anti-corruption drive that has investigated millions
-
Why the Gorton and Denton by-election is a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’Talking Point Reform and the Greens have the Labour seat in their sights, but the constituency’s complex demographics make messaging tricky
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
