During a Florida rally held on November 1, President Trump remarked that he would potentially fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top expert on infectious diseases, after the presidential election. Fauci has been instrumental in keeping the country up-to-date on information regarding COVID-19, even when he is not aligned with what government officials are publicly saying.
While Trump spoke on Sunday, the crowd began to chant “Fire Fauci!,” to which the president responded, “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election. I appreciate the advice.”
Trump and Fauci have consistently been at odds since the national concern regarding the COVID-19 pandemic spiked in March 2020. Most recently, Fauci spoke to the Washington Post and criticized the way Trump’s administration has handled the virus. He remarked that the winter will be a tough time country-wide, as he believes that officials are unprepared to make defining decisions. Trump’s comments may have been in response to Fauci’s interview.
“We’re in for a whole lot of hurt. It’s not a good situation,” Fauci said to the Washington Post. He also spoke out against people attending indoor gatherings for holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, saying, “You could not possibly be positioned more poorly.”