Pauci Counterattacks Against White House Officials' Attacks

Director Navarro and others rebut "skeptical" criticism as "absurd claims"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who gained attention for his candid remarks that "it is too early to reopen the economy" amid the COVID-19 pandemic, is facing a series of attacks from White House officials. Dr. Fauci has fired back at the White House's offensive, calling it nonsense.

On the 14th (local time), Peter Navarro, director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, criticized Fauci in an op-ed for USA Today, saying, "Dr. Fauci has a good attitude toward the public, but he has been wrong on every issue I have communicated with him about." He added, "If you ask me whether I listen to Dr. Fauci's advice, my answer is this: only with skepticism and caution."

Navarro has positioned himself as a frontline figure opposing health authorities to resume economic activities amid the COVID-19 crisis, often clashing with Dr. Fauci. This is not the first time White House officials have targeted Fauci. On the 12th, Dan Scavino, White House Senior Advisor for Digital Strategy, posted a satirical cartoon on Facebook showing a faucet labeled with Dr. Fauci’s image, spewing phrases like "Indefinite lockdown!" The cartoon plays on the similarity between the words "faucet" and "Fauci."

Dr. Fauci responded sharply as if determined. In an interview with the weekly magazine The Atlantic on the 15th, he openly criticized Navarro’s personal attacks. Fauci said, "I cannot explain Navarro. He lives in his own world, and I don’t want to go there," expressing discomfort. He described the government’s attempt to undermine the credibility of him as an advisor as "somewhat bizarre."

He also mentioned that he met with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows the previous day and told him that the current situation and backlash were harming the president, but he did not receive an apology. Fauci noted that he was unaware of the Trump administration’s directive to report COVID-19 patient data to the Department of Health and Human Services instead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As the conflict between the White House and Dr. Fauci escalated controversy, President Donald Trump stepped in to calm the situation. During a press briefing at the White House that day, Trump said Navarro’s op-ed reflected his personal views and stated, "That shouldn’t be the case. I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci," defending him. CNN reported that Navarro’s op-ed was published without going through the White House’s normal approval process.

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