Facebook, Twitter and YouTube delete viral video with false information about coronavirus 1:33
(CNN) - President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his relationship with Dr. Anthony Fauci is "very good," but wondered why the doctor's approval rating is so high when his is so low.
Speaking the day after he retweeted a message alleging that Fauci had misled the public, Trump attributed his own low ratings to his personality.
But he said Fauci's broad respect should be transferred to the Trump administration, for whom Fauci works.
"I get along very well with him and I agree with a lot of what he said," Trump insisted.
"It's interesting: It has a very good approval rating. And I like that, it's good, "he continued. “Because remember: you are working for this administration. You are working with us. We could have gotten other people. We could have gotten someone else. It didn't have to be Dr. Fauci. He is working with our administration. And for the most part we have done what he and others, and Dr. Birx and others, have recommended. ”
Trump continued: “And it has this high approval rating. So why don't I have a high approval rating - and the government - and regarding the virus? We should have it very high. "
"So it's funny," said Trump, "a man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx too, greatly admired, and yet they are very considerate, but nobody liked me ”
"It can only be my personality, that's all," he said.
In a series of tweets Monday night, Trump retweeted false claims, including one that suggested hydroxychloroquine was a cure for the coronavirus and a tweet that called Fauci a "fraud." Twitter took action Tuesday, removing several tweets that were also retweeted by Donald Trump Jr., his son, and restricted the account of Trump Jr.
The Food and Drug Administration revoked the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for the treatment of covid-19, saying they do not meet the "legal criteria" for emergency use authorization, as they are unlikely to be effective in virus treatment based on the latest scientific evidence.
Although Trump has maintained that he has a good relationship with Fauci, he has often tried to minimize the doctor's warnings against reopening the country too quickly. The president called Fauci "a bit alarming" and the White House has pushed Fauci's comments early in the pandemic in an attempt to discredit him.
CNN's Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.
Anthony Fauci