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Headline Roundup October 19th, 2020

Trump Criticizes Fauci in Campaign Call

Summary from the AllSides News Team

President Donald Trump strongly criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci in a Monday morning campaign call, saying "people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots.” He continued: "Every time he goes on television there's always a bomb, but there's a bigger bomb if you fire him. This guy's a disaster." Trump and Fauci’s messaging on the COVID-19 pandemic has diverged over the year, with Fauci telling CBS News that he was “absolutely not” surprised the president caught the virus. Fauci also raised concerns on Monday of “disturbingly anti-science” times "in certain segments of our society." Left- and center-rated outlets covered Trump’s criticism of Fauci more than right-rated outlets, with outlets on all sides covering Fauci’s comments on Trump catching the virus. Coverage in some left- and center-rated outlets used sensationalist language like “trashed” and blasted.”

Featured Coverage of this Story

Trump trashes Fauci and makes baseless coronavirus claims in campaign call
Trump trashes Fauci and makes baseless coronavirus claims in campaign call

CNN Digital

News

A frustrated and at times foul-mouthed President Donald Trump claimed on a campaign call that people are tired of hearing about the deadly pandemic which has killed more than 215,000 Americans and trashed Dr. Anthony Fauci as a "disaster" who has been around for "500 years."

Referring to Fauci and other health officials as "idiots," Trump declared the country ready to move on from the health disaster, even as cases are again spiking and medical experts warn the worst may be yet to come.
Baselessly claiming that if Fauci was...

Open on CNN Digital
Trump calls Fauci a "disaster" on campaign call
Trump calls Fauci a "disaster" on campaign call

Axios

News

During a campaign call on Monday, President Trump slammed infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, calling him a "disaster," and that "people are tired of COVID," according to multiple reporters who listened to the call.

Driving the news: CBS's "60 Minutes" aired an interview Sunday night with the NIAID director, where he said he was "absolutely not" surprised Trump contracted COVID-19 after seeing him on TV in a crowded place with "almost nobody wearing a mask."

What he's saying: "Every time he goes on television there's always a bomb, but there's...

Open on Axios
Trump escalates criticism of 'disaster' Fauci
Trump escalates criticism of 'disaster' Fauci

Washington Examiner

News

President Trump ramped up his criticism on Monday of Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the leading experts on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, to a degree that has yet to be seen in public.

As Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has sought to remain apolitical and focused on encouraging social distancing and mask-wearing, Trump, espousing cavalier attitude toward health precautions during the pandemic, has grown increasingly wary of the difference in messaging.

That frustration appeared to reach a boiling point during a...

Open on Washington Examiner

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