President Trump Tuesday undertook an attack on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease, in the wake of the Trump campaign releasing an ad misquoting Fauci.
Actually, Tony’s pitching arm is far more accurate than his prognostications. “No problem, no masks”. WHO no longer likes Lockdowns – just came out against. Trump was right. We saved 2,000,000 USA lives!!! https://t.co/YyLyCsbZ7a
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2020
The Trump campaign’s ad cited a quote from Fauci praising the White House Task Force on the coronavirus, framing it as if Fauci was praising Trump personally, which he was not.
As Politico notes, the WHO noted did not come out against lockdowns; one doctor with the WHO said lockdowns should not be used as the “primary means of control of this virus.” Instead, it said that masking, social distancing and washing hands–all practices the Trump campaign and administration refuse to enact–are the most effective means of controlling the spread of the virus, with lockdowns used as a means to snuff out hot spots and outbreaks.
Trump also seems personally hurt that Fauci, not him, was asked to throw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals at the start of the baseball season.
Two-thirds of Americans have some trust in Fauci and the information he presents regarding the coronavirus, versus just 40% who trust Trump. Fifty-two percent trust information from Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden.