Trump threatens to fire Fauci in rift with disease expert

President Donald Trump is suggesting that he will fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after Tuesday’s election, as his rift with nation’s top infectious disease expert widens while nation sees its most alarming outbreak of coronavirus since spring.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Opa-locka, Florida, Trump expressed frustration that surging cases of virus that has killed more than 230,000 Americans so far this year remains prominent in news, sparking chants of “Fire Fauci” from his supporters.

“Don’t tell anybody but let me wait until a little bit after election,” Trump replied to thousands of supporters just after midnight Monday, adding he appreciated ir “advice.”

Trump’s comments on Fauci less than 48 hours before polls close all but assure that his handling of pandemic will remain front and center heading into Election Day.

It’s most direct Trump has been in suggesting he was serious about trying to remove Fauci from his position. He has previously expressed that he was concerned about political blowback of removing popular and respected doctor before Election Day.

Trump’s comments come after Fauci leveled his sharpest criticism yet of White House’s response to coronavirus and Trump’s public assertion that nation is “rounding turn” on virus.

Fauci has grown outspoken that Trump has igred his advice for containing virus, saying he hasn’t spoken with Trump in more than a month. He has raised alarm that nation was heading for a challenging winter if more isn’t done soon to slow spread of disease.

In an interview with Washington Post this weekend, Fauci cautioned that U.S. will have to deal with “a whole lot of hurt” in weeks ahead due to surging coronavirus cases.

Fauci said U.S. “could t possibly be positioned more poorly” to stem rising cases as more people gar indoors during colder fall and winter months. He says U.S. will need to make an “abrupt change” in public health precautions.

Fauci added that he believed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden “is taking it seriously from a public health perspective,” while Trump is “looking at it from a different perspective.” Fauci, who’s on White House coronavirus task force, said that perspective emphasizes “ ecomy and reopening country.”

In response, White House spokesman Judd Deere said Trump always puts people’s well-being first and Deere charges that Fauci has decided “to play politics” right before Tuesday’s election. Deere said Fauci “has a duty to express concerns or push for a change in strategy” but instead is “choosing to criticize president in media and make his political leanings kwn.”

Trump in recent days has stepped up his attacks on Biden for pledging to heed advice of scientists in responding to pandemic. Trump has claimed Biden would “lock down” nation once again. Biden has promised to heed warnings of Fauci and or medical professionals but has t endorsed ar national lockdown.

Trump has recently relied on advice of Stanford doctor Scott Atlas, who has prior background in infectious diseases or public health, as his lead science adviser on pandemic. Atlas has been a public skeptic about mask wearing and or measures widely accepted by scientific community to slow spread of virus.

Or members of White House coronavirus task force have grown increasingly vocal about what y see as a dangerous fall spike in virus.