Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and member of the White House coronavirus task force, is reassuring Americans they can lean on him for information about the coronavirus pandemic amid reports of President Donald Trump trying to discredit him.
During a virtual event hosted by Georgetown University on Tuesday, Fauci was asked how do Americans know who to trust in regards to information on the coronavirus outbreak.
Fauci encouraged the nation to listen to trusted members of the medical community, including himself.
“I believe, for the most part, you can trust respected medical authorities. I believe I’m one of them, so I think you can trust me,” Fauci said.
He added, “I would stick with respected medical authorities who have a track record of telling the truth, who have a track record of giving information and policy and recommendations based on scientific evidence and good data.”
Watch his comments below:
"I believe, for the most part, you can trust respected medical authorities," Dr. Anthony Fauci says. "I believe I'm one of them, so I think you can trust me."
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 14, 2020
His comments come as the White House has sought to undermine Fauci and criticized the CDC. https://t.co/C7b7MYpmIZ pic.twitter.com/eLSh7xcGGg
Trump has expressed his frustration with Fauci in the past.
During an appearance on Greta Van Susteren’s broadcast “Full Court Press,” Trump pushed back against Fauci’s assessment of how the United States has handled the pandemic, as IJR previously reported.
“Well, I think we are in a good place. I disagree with him,” Trump said.
During a Fox News phone interview Thursday evening, Trump spoke to Fauci’s character while criticizing him for his mistakes, as IJR previously reported.
He called Fauci a “nice man” but claimed he “made a lot of mistakes.”
Despite his criticism of Fauci, Trump declared he has “a very good relationship” with him.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) came to Fauci’s defense on Tuesday.
Graham called Fauci “one of the smartest people” he knows and said he has “all the respect in the world” for him.
He also said any effort to undermine Fauci is “not going to be productive.”
