Trump’s coronavirus task force is headed by one Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the US. At times, there has been speculation that Fauci’s overwhelming popularity and clarity have made him something of an annoyance to Trump, who infamously covets the limelight. Never has that been more apparent than it was Sunday night.
On Sunday evening, Trump retweeted failed Republican congressional candidate DeAnna Lorraine. Her tweet alleged that Fauci was telling people on February 29 not to worry about the novel coronavirus. Trump alleged that Fauci’s statement from this time show that there was no widespread belief at the White House that the COVID-19 pandemic would be reaching the US in large numbers. Critics have been angry over the president’s lackluster response to the virus, so perhaps this tweet felt like vindication.
A New York Times article might have spurred the Trump tweets. The article alleged that Trump’s downplaying of the virus allowed it to spread earlier and farther in the US than it would have with the right response. Trump, true to character, alleged the report was “fake news,” citing the Lorraine tweet.
Curiously, the tweet included a hashtag: #firefauci. This is a common sight among fringe, right-wing Twitter accounts. Within the far-right sphere of Twitter, there’s a conspiracy theory that elements of the government are organized against Trump. This “deep state” allegedly moves to counter any actions by the president and make him look bad.
Fauci is a common target of their ire, as he speaks plainly and addresses Americans’ concerns without stoking political drama in the way the president does.
There are also fringe groups on Twitter that allege that somehow, 5G phone signals are causing COVID-19. These two conspiracy theories are equally unlikely.
Fauci has stated that he resents attempts by the media to present his relationship with the president as antagonistic. Yes, Fauci has corrected Trump on his misstatements and falsehoods regarding treatments for COVID. However, he has not done so in order to embarrass or one-up the president, he says.
“When I’ve made recommendations, he has taken them,” Fauci told reporters of his relationship with the president. “He has never countered, overwritten me. The idea of just pitting one against the other is not helpful. I wish that would stop and that we’d look ahead at the challenge we have to get over this thing.”
