Published 09:55 IST, July 22nd 2020
Dr Fauci says he’s "more a realist than an alarmist" in response to Trump's remarks
in a live Instagram interview with leading US broadcaster, Dr. Anthony Fauci reacted to Trump’s characterization as “people that have their opinions”.
In response to US President Donald Trump’s comments earlier that he is a “bit of an alarmist”, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and US’ top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he’s "more a realist than an alarmist". Further, in a live Instagram interview with a leading US broadcaster, Fauci reacted to Trump’s characterization as “people that have their opinions” because of his reaction to things.
Fauci’s comments come as his relations with the White House tense owing to the number of officials attempting to discredit him with a list of things he was “wrong” about in the pandemic. In a televised interview earlier this month, a White House official attempted to undercut Fauci after the disease expert sounded his concern about reopening the United States “too fast”.
Not invited at Trump's COVID-19 briefing—Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a televised interview
Further, via several interviews and statements, it was made apparent that the US President Trump and Fauci “hadn’t spoken in weeks” due to their conflicting views about the response to the looming health crisis. In a televised interview held at 4 pm US local time on July 21, Fauci said that he most recently had a word with Trump last week but he wasn’t invited to Trump’s coronavirus press briefing which he held immediately at 5 pm.
Another wave of COVID-19 to hit US
In context to Trump’s remarks on him, Dr. Fauci was quoted saying that his position to ‘deal with reality’ would be him being a realist about the situation. Further, he told a leading US broadcaster that when another wave of COVID-19 would hit the US in the fall and winter, the plateaus would be above the “real baseline.” Fauci stressed that if the country had to mitigate the impact and enter the winter in good shape, it will have to slump the infections by a good number, down to a few hundred, he added. While Trump called Fauci an alarmist in a televised interview that aired on July 19, he added that the two shared a “good relationship”.
(image Credit: AP)
Updated 09:55 IST, July 22nd 2020