‘You made him a star’: Trump responds to criticisms on handling of Dr. Fauci, COVID
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Former President Donald Trump responded to criticisms against the presence and promotion of Dr. Anthony Fauci during his administrations coronavirus pandemic response in 2020.
Trump was pressed on the issue by Megyn Kelly on The Megyn Kelly Show.
“You’ve been saying that the reason you didn’t fire Anthony Fauci was because he’d been there for a long time that you would have taken heat, that it would have created a firestorm,” Kelly told Trump.
“I also said, I didn’t listen to him too much,” Trump responded.
Kelly pointed out that Trump noted Fauci was a “civil servant,” which means it is difficult or nearly impossible, in certain circumstances, to fire such a federal employee.
“Not only did you not fire Fauci, who is loathed by many, many millions of Republicans in particular, but also some Democrats- you made him a star,” she said. “You made him the face of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.”
“You actually gave him a presidential commendation before you left office,” Kelly said. “Wouldn’t you like a do-over on that?”
“I don’t really know who gave him the commendation,” Trump replied. “I wouldn’t have done it. Somebody probably handed him a commendation.”
Trump went on to outline instances where he “overrode” some of Fauci’s positions.
“He didn’t want to stop China – he wanted to let everyone come in from China. I stopped it, I overrode it,” Trump said. “I overrode many of the things he did. He was much less important to me.”
“He was respected, he lost a lot of the respect because of COVID, but he was respected.”
Trump’s placement of Fauci in his administration has also been a point of attack for Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has repeatedly said Trump should have “fired” Fauci.
Discussing his coronavirus response, Trump said he always opposed mandates and in regard to issues like the COVID-19 vaccine, supported freedom of choice.
“I never gave mandates, and people have to make up their own decisions,” Trump said. “People said – ‘you saved a hundred million people worldwide [by fast-tracking the vaccines].'”
“I also got Regeneron, and I got a lot of therapeutics done,” he continued. “I also got [a lot of medical supplies], the ventilators … I never got the credit I deserved.”
