Dr. Anthony Fauci is not backing down in showing his clear distaste about being used and taken out of context in a campaign advertisement for President Donald Trump’s re-election.
Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, previously spoke out that his words — “I can’t imagine…that anybody could be doing more” — used in the ad regarding the coronavirus pandemic were taken out of context. Fauci has clarified those remarks were him praising the federal government’s response as a whole not solely Trump.
When reports suggested he would reportedly be used in another campaign ad, Fauci said “that would be terrible,” adding, “I mean, that would be outrageous if they do that. In fact, that might actually come back to backfire on them. I hope they don’t do that.”
Reiterating his disapproval being used in a campaign ad, Fauci said during Thursday’s “Good Morning America” interview that he is “not contemplating any further action,” before adding, “I don’t like to be associated with anything political.”
“The way I was juxtaposed in that ad, it made it look very much like I was part of a political campaign,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said. “And I’m expressing that I don’t like that.”
“When I said it might backfire I think if people see that they’re doing things that are clearly against my will, it’s going to make them look bad. That’s what I meant, nothing more than that.”
See Fauci’s interview below:
Dr. Fauci fires back at Trump campaign ad: "I don't like to be associated with anything political."@GStephanopouloshttps://t.co/idvR3nLLcn pic.twitter.com/sqpKIULbvA
— Good Morning America (@GMA) October 15, 2020
After Fauci previously spoke out about the ad, Trump fired back in a tweet, “They are indeed Dr. Fauci’s own words. We have done a ‘phenomenal’ job, according to certain governors. Many people agree…And now come the Vaccines [and] Cures, long ahead of projections!”
The president also slammed Fauci in a tweet this week, writing, “Actually, Tony’s pitching arm is far more accurate than his prognostications.”
Fauci has claimed that Trump’s re-election campaign is “harassing” him.
“Since campaign ads are about getting votes, their harassment of me might have the opposite effect of turning some voters off,” the NIAID director told Daily Beast reporters.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden also weighed in on the advertisement following Fauci’s remarks.
“Fauci is a man of integrity. After that ad came out saying he said I did not give permission to use that quote, and I wasn’t referring to the president. Even when after Fauci said that he didn’t say that about the president, the Trump ad campaign said they were going to continue to use the ad knowing it was a lie,” Biden said.