While the United States is experiencing the worst days in cases of coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, Donald Trump said that Dr. Anthony Fauci is "a disaster" and that "people are fed up with Fauci and all those idiots", referring to the experts who warn over and over again about the need to take COVID-19 seriously.
Fauci is America's most reputable infectious disease expert.
Although at first he tried to temporize with the president's behavior, in recent weeks he has begun to openly criticize him, especially for his insistence on holding mass rallies that can lead to outbreaks of covid-19.
Trump made these comments about Fauci in a call with his campaign staff.
In the audio leaked to the media, Trump is heard saying: “People are fed up with covid.
I have the biggest rallies I have ever had, and there is covid.
People are saying what difference does it make, leave us alone.
We are tired.
People are sick of listening to Fauci and all those idiots. "
Then he specifically refers to Fauci, whom he says is "a good guy" but has been in the Administration for "500 years".
Fauci has been the head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases since 1984.
The call was made from Las Vegas, where the president was campaigning on Sunday.
Trump took his campaign to Arizona on Monday, a state that may end up being decisive in the elections and that no Republican has lost since the 1950s. Biden leads this state by seven points in some polls.
Trump held rallies in Prescott, in the more Republican north, and in Tucson, in the more Democratic south.
Thousands of people gathered in both, ignoring the basic recommendations of the experts to avoid contagion.
Trump boasted of success on the networks.
Among the most significant responses to Trump's comments was that of Republican Senator Lamar Alexander, who wrote: “Dr. Fauci is one of the most distinguished public servants in our country.
He has served with six presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan.
If more Americans listened to their advice, we would have fewer cases of covid-19 and it would be safer to go back to school and work and go out to eat. "
Dr. Fauci is one of our country's most distinguished public servants.
He has served 6 presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan.
If more Americans paid attention to his advice, we'd have fewer cases of COVID-19, & it would be safer to go back to school & back to work & out to eat.
- Sen.
Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) October 19, 2020
Trump's comments filled television hours on Monday with two weeks to go before the election date and, according to all polls, the management of the covid-19 pandemic is the main concern of Americans.
The country has already passed the threshold of 220,000 dead.
Experts have been alarmed for months that the president ignores all measures to curb infections, such as wearing masks or avoiding large crowds, even after he himself and about thirty people around him have become ill.
"Fauci is a mess.
If he had listened to him, we would have 500,000 dead, "Trump said in one of the events on Monday.
Subscribe here to the
newsletter
about the elections in the United States