Fauci’s Diary Reveals Tensions with Trump During COVID-19

In a set of diary entries by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s former top scientist, he expressed his frustrations with President Donald Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. These entries offer a candid view of Fauci’s thoughts as he navigated the challenges of the pandemic while dealing with political pressures.

Fauci’s Frustrations with Trump

Throughout the 1,141 pages of his diary, Fauci described Trump as “out of control,” “an embarrassment,” and “an idiot.” Fauci criticized Trump’s dismissal of scientific advice as the president pushed to reopen the country for the 2020 election. On May 22, 2020, Fauci noted, “Trump getting out of control in pushing to open up the country and get the economy back before election day. He is desperate. This is all about re-election.”

As election day approached, the cases increased with surges expected due to cooler weather. Fauci’s entry from October 15, 2020, reflects his concerns: “Trump is on the campaign trail spewing nonsense. He is really out of control. A true embarrassment.”

Tension and Media Attention

Initially, Trump welcomed Fauci’s involvement, but their relationship deteriorated as the pandemic persisted. Trump criticized Fauci publicly while maintaining a cordial front in private. In a diary entry from July 28, 2020, Fauci wrote, “The POTUS is playing a weird game of acting Okay with me in person and saying that our relationship is fine to the press and then retweeting stuff that attacks me. He is a very strange guy.”

Conflicts arose over Fauci’s and Deborah Birx’s guidance during media appearances. Fauci’s August 8, 2020, diary entry highlighted this issue: “POTUS acting even more erratically. Keeps insisting that increased case numbers are due only to increased testing, ignoring the increases in percent positive, hospitalizations, and deaths (>1000/day). Inconsistent message to me whether they want me on TV.”

Fauci noted communication issues with the White House regarding media appearances. He documented a conversation with Alyssa Farah, a White House communication aide, about these responsibilities.

Fauci’s Rising Fame

Amidst the political and public health challenges, Fauci found himself in the media spotlight, which he surprisingly enjoyed. On April 7, 2020, he recognized the intense media focus on him. Later, on May 21, 2020, he wrote, “The situation with my national and international fame is explosive… today I am the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable persons in the world.”

Fauci noted that despite taking attention away from Trump, POTUS seemed enamored with him. “POTUS seems to be enamored of me even though I am taking the spotlight away from him,” he wrote.

Public and Private Criticism

Fauci’s diary entries also reveal issues beyond the virus response, including his disdain for Trump’s behavior in debates and racial tensions. After the first presidential debate, Fauci said, “Trump was embarrassing, continually interrupting Biden, bullying all the way, making no sense, lying,” and criticized Trump for not denouncing white supremacists.

Tracking Trump’s response to racial unrest, Fauci documented his annoyance with Trump’s actions and his embrace of false narratives: “QAnon is saying that all the other deaths had nothing to do with COVID-19. The POTUS loves this and is tweeting that Fauci and Birx shut down the country for only 9000 deaths. What an idiot!!”

Retirement and Legacy

Fauci served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under seven presidents before resigning at the end of 2022. Throughout his tenure, he faced challenges from political figures, especially after Trump’s loss in the 2020 election. Fauci noted, “Most recently House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has called for me to be fired. What an amazing coward he is. The entire extreme right wing republican group in the House and Senate have completely sold their soul to the infinitely lying ex president trump.”