On Monday, President Donald Trump criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci calling him a “disaster,” and Fauci has now responded to the president with a line from the classic 1972 mafia movie “The Godfather.”
Since 1984, Fauci has headed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. He joined “60 Minutes” on Sunday night, and following his appearance, Trump took umbrage with some of the doctor’s comments. Speaking to his campaign staff, the president said “people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots,” and that people are “tired of coronavirus,” reported Fox News.
In addition, the president said that firing Fauci may create more problems than it would solve. Furthermore, Trump called the doctor a “nice guy.” Yet, he also added, “If I’d listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths [due to COVID-19].”
President Trump’s Criticisms Brushed off by Dr. Fauci
Later on Monday, Fauci joined California radio station KNX1070 where the doctor was asked about Trump’s comments. He reacted to President Trump’s criticisms by saying it was “nothing personal, strictly business.” The response invoked Al Pacino’s character Michael Corleone’s famous line in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather.”
“I would prefer not to comment on that and just get on with what we are really trying to do. And what we are trying to do is to protect the health and welfare and safety of the American people predominantly, and ultimately, of the world,” explained Fauci. “We are seeing an uptick in cases — higher than they’ve ever been. Many, many states that had been doing reasonably well are now showing upticks, that’s what we should be concentrating on.”
The doctor is adamant he does not want to give any credence to the “me against the president” narrative.
“[Addressing the virus is] the only thing I really care about. That other stuff, it’s like in ‘The Godfather’: Nothing personal, strictly business as far as I’m concerned,” Fauci assured. “I just want to do my job and take care of the people of this country.”
Trump may have lashed out because he took offense to some of Fauci’s comments on CBS’ “60 Minutes.” The doctor mentioned that it did not surprise him that Trump tested positive for COVID-19 after a White House event to announce Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
[H/T NY POST]
