Trump Suggests to Supporters Dr. Fauci Will Be Fired After Election
WASHINGTON – Though President Donald Trump doesn’t technically have the power to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, he suggested during one his final campaign appearances Monday that supporters won’t have long to wait for the ouster of the nation’s top infectious disease expert.
Trump has been continually outraged by Dr. Fauci’s repeated warnings about the seriousness of the coronavirus, and the president is known to blame the pandemic’s continued prominence in the news for his lagging in the polls.
Appearing in Opa-Locka, Fla., Monday, Trump vented his frustration again, inspiring many in the crowd to chant “Fire Fauci,” in a scene reminiscent of crowds chanting “Lock Her Up” about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign.
As the chant reached a crescendo, Trump smiled and said, “Don’t tell anybody but, let me wait until a little bit after the election.”
He went on to say he appreciated the crowd’s “Advice.”
The problem for Trump is he can’t technically fire Dr. Fauci because the doctor is not a presidential appointee and doesn’t work for him.
The only way to remove the doctor would be to pressure either his direct supervisor, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, or Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, to let him go.
But such a move would no doubt touch off a firestorm on Capitol Hill, where Dr. Fauci enjoys strong bipartisan support.
Meanwhile Trump’s Democratic rival responded to word of the president’s comments by saying, “We need a president who actually listens to experts like Dr. Fauci.”
Later, speaking after Trump moved on to North Carolina, Biden said, “Even as his incompetence continues to hurt working families, students, educators, and small business owners … President Trump’s only concern is winning this election.”
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