Trump Suggests 'Firing Fauci,' White House Says "Still Trusts Him"

Pouch Holder Criticizes Government COVID-19 Response, Trump Expresses Discontent
White House Denies Dismissal Amid Growing Controversy
Typical Strategy to Undermine Candid Advisor

Director Anthony Fauci (left) is looking somewhere with a serious expression during President Donald Trump's remarks.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The White House in the United States has quickly drawn a line regarding the controversy over whether to dismiss Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

According to U.S. media such as CNN, White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said on the 13th (local time), "It is ridiculous to make such noise," and "President Trump will not dismiss Director Fauci." Deputy Press Secretary Gidley further claimed, "Director Fauci still has the trust of President Trump."

The White House's remarks on the status of Director Fauci, who has rapidly risen as a star amid the COVID-19 crisis, are interpreted as a response to criticism from public opinion stirred up the day before when President Trump posted someone else's writing on his Twitter along with the hashtag "fire Fauci," implying his dismissal.

On Easter Sunday, the 12th, Director Fauci mentioned in an interview with CNN that if the government had acted earlier on COVID-19, many lives could have been saved. This remark was widely speculated to have provoked President Trump's anger.

Having already presented differing opinions from President Trump several times and showing disbelief at the President's remarks during the COVID-19 task force briefings, Fauci has rapidly emerged as "Mr. Harsh Words" and a symbol of the anti-Trump camp. Considering President Trump's past of ruthlessly dismissing aides who speak frankly, it is not surprising that the perception of his imminent replacement is spreading.

The controversy over Director Fauci has also been raised in political circles. Senator Marco Rubio (Florida, Republican) questioned on Twitter the same day, "Fauci dismissal? For what reason?" indicating that the ripple effect has extended into politics.

However, it is assessed that the way President Trump subtly hinted at the possibility of dismissal and then denied it through the White House does not mark the end of the controversy surrounding Director Fauci.

CNN reported that President Trump spent the entire last weekend calling people around him to express dissatisfaction with recent media coverage regarding his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump has also been posting a series of tweets expressing dissatisfaction with reports pointing out problems in the U.S. government's COVID-19 response.

In this regard, CNN introduced the view of an official that the actions of President Trump and the White House are a strategy to make Director Fauci feel uncomfortable.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.