Trump threatens to fire Fauci as rift grows
OPA-LOCKA, Fla. — President Donald Trump is suggesting that he will fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after Tuesday’s election, as his rift with the nation’s top infectious disease expert widens while the nation sees its most alarming outbreak of the coronavirus since the spring.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Opa-locka, Trump expressed frustration that the surging cases of the virus that has killed more than 231,000 people in the United States this year remains prominent in the news. That sparked his supporters to begin chanting “Fire Fauci.”
“Don’t tell anybody but letmewait until a little bit after the election,” Trump replied to thousands of supporters early Monday, adding he appreciated their “advice.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted later Monday in response: “We need a president who actually listens to experts like Dr. Fauci.”
Biden has sought to keep the campaign focused on what he says is a disastrous federal response to the pandemic. Trump is countering by using the race’s final hours to accuse Biden of wanting toforce the country back into a lockdown to slowthe spread of the virus.
Still, Trump’s comments on Fauci less than 48 hours before polls close likely ensure the pandemic will remain front and center heading into Election Day.
It’s the most direct Trump has been in suggesting he was serious about trying to remove Fauci from his position. He has previously expressed that hewas concerned about the political blowback of removing the popular and respected doctor before the election.
Trump cannot directly fire Fauci, who isnotapresidential appointee. Theoretically, Trump could pressure Fauci’s boss, Dr. Francis Collins, or Health and Human Services Secretary AlexAzar to do so. Even discounting Fauci’s scientific legacy, taking that step would be politically extraordinary considering a Republican president, George W. Bush, awarded Fauci the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Fauci also has considerable bipartisan support in Congress.
The latest flare-upfollows Fauci making his sharpest criticism yet of the White House’s response to the coronavirus and Trump’s public assertion that the nation is “rounding the turn.”