Crowd yells ‘Fire Fauci’ at rally, Trump says wait until after election
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases head since 1984, Dr. Fauci's advised every president since Reagan.
President Donald Trump hinted that he may fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after the 2020 presidential election if he wins again.
Tapping into the frustrations of his supporters amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Trump complained about the media attention noting the rising cases of the deadly virus in the U.S.
During a late-night Trump campaign rally in Miami, the crowd chanted, “Fire Fauci!” It was a chorus the president let the crowd continue for at least 20 seconds.
“Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election,” Trump said, his supporters cheering almost immediately. “I appreciate the advice.”
“No, he’s been wrong on a lot,” Trump added. “He’s a nice man, though. He’s been wrong on a lot.”
Dr. Fauci, an immunologist, has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 and a medical advisor to every American president since Ronald Reagan. He has been praised for his response not just to COVID-19, but previous handling of the HIV/AIDS crisis, swine flu and Ebola outbreaks and other major challenges.
Read More: Tens of thousands of COVID-19 infections linked to Trump rallies: study
The war of words between Trump and Dr. Fauci has escalated as the 2020 presidential election nears.
In an exclusive interview two days ago with The Washington Post, Dr. Fauci warns that the U.S. is in for “a whole lot of hurt” this winter as the cold weather forces more Americans indoors.
Read More: Trump preparing to declare premature victory
“All the stars are aligned in the wrong place as you go into the fall and winter season,” he said, “with people congregating at home indoors. You could not possibly be positioned more poorly.”
Dr. Fauci said that Americans have to make an “abrupt change” in public health practices and behaviors.
Read More: Trump supporters in caravans block traffic in New York, New Jersey
The White House responded by accusing the doctor of politicizing the pandemic with the interview.
Democratic challenger Joe Biden has vowed to retain Dr. Fauci, who has been a popular, leading voice during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read More: Biden works to push Black turnout in campaign’s final days
In June, Biden tweeted, “If I’m elected, I’ll immediately reach out to Dr. Fauci and ask him to continue his incredible service to our country.”
“I’ll have the nation’s top medical experts and scientists ready to advise our response on day one — and I’ll actually listen to them,” said Biden.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today!
