President Donald Trump took to Twitter Monday afternoon to call out Dr. Anthony Fauci over recent claims the White House is preventing him from doing media interviews.
...P.S. Tony should stop wearing the Washington Nationals’ Mask for two reasons. Number one, it is not up to the high standards that he should be exposing. Number two, it keeps reminding me that Tony threw out perhaps the worst first pitch in the history of Baseball!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2020
The comments come after Fauci said during an interview with 60 Minutes that his appearances have been limited.
Dr. Jon LaPook: During this pandemic, has the White House been controlling when you can speak with the media?
Dr. Anthony Fauci: You know, I think you'd have to be honest and say yes. I certainly have not been allowed to go on many, many, many shows that have asked for me.
Dr. Jon LaPook: One of the most trusted voices in America, and yet, you're not there, you're not allowed to talk with us. So, can you understand the frustration that maybe there's been a restriction on the flow of information and on the transparency--
Dr. Anthony Fauci: You know, I think there has been a restriction, Jon, but-- but it doesn't, it-- it-- it isn't consistent.
During a call with supporters Monday morning, President Trump didn't hold back on Fauci's flip flopping throughout the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.
“People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots, these people, these people that have gotten it wrong. Fauci is a nice guy, he’s been here for 500 years, he called every one of them wrong,” Trump told campaign staffers.
“He’s like this wonderful guy, a wonderful sage telling us how he said, do not wear facemasks — that’s a number of months ago. He said, do not close it up to China. I have a list of 15 things,” Trump said. “And yet we keep him. Every time he goes on television there’s always a bomb. But there is a bigger bomb if you fire him. But Fauci is a disaster. I mean, this guy, if I listened to him, we would have 500,000 deaths.”
“Fauci, if we listened to him, we’d have 700,000 to 800,000 deaths right now. So, with that, I get along with him. If there’s a reporter on, you have it just the way I said it. I couldn’t care less,” the president continued.