President Donald Trump is adamant his administration is not trying to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, but he is claiming Fauci tends to raise the alarm amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The host of Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday” Chris Wallace pointed Trump to a tweet of a cartoon issued by Dan Scavino, the White House deputy chief of staff for communications, mocking Fauci.
The cartoon depicts Fauci as a “leaker” and an “alarmist.”
Wallace asked Trump why Scavino would say that.
“Well, I don’t know that he’s a leaker. He’s a little bit of an alarmist,” Trump said. “That’s okay. A little bit of an alarmist.”
Check out his comments below:
WATCH: President Trump discusses the U.S. response to the coronavirus. Plus, his relationship with Dr. Fauci and much more. #FoxNewsSunday pic.twitter.com/JUo1c2i96Z
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) July 19, 2020
Trump went on to reiterate he has a “great” relationship with Fauci.
He listed some of the mistakes Fauci has made in handling the pandemic.
“Dr. Fauci, at the beginning, said ‘this will pass, don’t worry about it, this will pass.’ He was wrong. Dr. Fauci said don’t ban China, don’t ban China, I did he then admitted I was right,” Trump said.
Wallace asked the president why his administration would be involved in a campaign to discredit Fauci.
Trump replied, “We’re not.”
Other members of the Trump administration have expressed their criticism of Fauci.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro penned an op-ed in USA Today targeting Fauci’s credibility, as IJR previously reported.
Alyssa Farah, White House Director of Strategic Communications, released a statement the following day arguing the op-ed was not adequately reviewed and is “the opinion of Peter alone.”
As he left the White House on Wednesday, Trump was asked about the op-ed, as IJR previously reported.
“He shouldn’t be doing that,” Trump said.
Vice President Mike Pence called Fauci a “valued” member of the White House coronavirus task force on Wednesday during a campaign press call.
During an interview with The Atlantic, Fauci responded to reports of the Trump administration trying to discredit him.
He called the attempts “a bit bizarre” and said it only hurts Trump in the end.