Trump backtracks on Fauci, calls him a 'nice guy'

Shortly after President Donald Trump declared the nation's top infectious disease expert "a disaster" in a phone call with campaign workers, the president backtracked a bit and said Fauci is "a very nice man" who made some "bad calls."

Earlier Monday, in the campaign staff phone call, Donald Trump said people are tired of hearing from Dr. Fauci "and all these idiots" about the coronavirus.

Fauci is head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is a member of the White House coronavirus task force.

But as he arrived in Arizona for a rally, he told journalists he thinks Fauci is a "nice guy," and isn't considering removing him.

"I don't want to hurt him. He's been there for about 350 years. I don't want to hurt him," Trump said.

The president also got in a tense exchange with reporters over whether he will be tested - and release the findings - of a COVID test before the final presidential debate Thursday night.

Trump repeatedly asked a reporter, "why is that so important to you?" before insisting his doctors have released "more information than has been given on any human being in the history of the world."

Trump also called a different reporter "a criminal" for not reporting his claims of rival Joe Biden's unsubstantiated illegal activities.

"He got caught, read his laptop and you know who's a criminal? You're a criminal for not reporting it," Trump said.

Trump is holding rallies in Arizona Monday after campaigning over the weekend in California and Nevada.