President Donald Trump is expressing his frustration with how infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has a higher approval rating in regards to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic than he does.
During his coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday, a reporter pointed Trump to a series of tweets he issued claiming Fauci misled the nation about hydroxychloroquine, a drug promoted by the Trump administration as a potential treatment for the coronavirus.
He asked Trump how Fauci misled Americans.
Trump claimed he did not say Fauci misled the public and went on to ponder why Americans approve of Fauci’s handling of the pandemic and not his.
“It sort of is curious, a man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx also highly thought of and yet they’re highly thought of, but nobody likes me. It can only be my personality, that’s all,” Trump said.
Watch his comments below:
Pres. Trump notes Dr. Fauci "has a very good approval rating" while working for his administration.
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 28, 2020
"He's got this high approval rating—so why don't I have a high approval rating, and the administration, with respect to the virus?" https://t.co/SEjTTFYNPu pic.twitter.com/uaCa38zvjd
Trump noted he has not always agreed with Fauci.
He claimed Fauci did not want to place a travel ban on China when it was “heavily infected” and later told Trump he was right and ended up saving tens of thousands of lives.
The president went on to defend his relationship with Fauci arguing he gets along with him “very well” and he agrees with him on a lot of what he has said.
Trump reiterated his confusion over why his approval rating does not match Fauci’s.
“It’s interesting. He’s got a very good approval rating and I like that, it’s good because remember he’s working for this administration. He’s working with us. We could’ve gotten other people. We could’ve gotten somebody else. It didn’t have to be Dr. Fauci,” Trump said.
He added, “He’s working with our administration, and for the most part, we’ve done pretty much what he and others, Dr. Birx and others who are terrific, recommended. And he’s got this high approval rating, so why don’t I have a high approval rating with respect, and the administration, with respect to the virus.”
He cited provisions for masks, gowns, ventilators, and testing as evidence for why the administration should have a high approval rating.
Support for Trump’s handling of the outbreak has hit a new low.
According to a poll released Sunday, just 32 percent of Americans are supportive of Trump’s approach to the pandemic.