The former president also rips DeSantis’ COVID response in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt
Former President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that Dr. Anthony Fauci did not hold a significant role in his administration and reiterated his stance that he was unable to dismiss the medical adviser.
When conservative host Hugh Hewitt asked Trump why he didn’t terminate Fauci, who led Trump’s COVID-19 response team and was described by Hewitt as a significant issue during Trump’s presidency, Trump responded, “First of all, you’re not allowed to .”
“No, no, no, Dr. Fauci was there. First of all, he’s a civil servant, and you’re not permitted to fire him. But disregarding that, because I don’t always follow everything… Dr. Fauci would offer advice, and I would often choose not to follow it. Additionally, he didn’t play a major role in my administration. Dr. Fauci became a prominent figure in the Biden administration. He’s a significant figure in Biden’s administration.”
In the interview with Hewitt, Trump also continued his criticism of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his closest rival in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, regarding his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump indicated that he would raise the issue of not dismissing Fauci if asked about it during a debate with DeSantis.
Trump expressed his views on DeSantis’s response to the pandemic, stating, “It’s quite straightforward to respond.” He highlighted that DeSantis had initially imposed strict measures such as beach closures and a statewide shutdown in Florida. Trump contrasted this with other governors like Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, who did not implement such extensive restrictions.
“He closed down Florida tightly; it was like a fortress. He even had long lines for vaccinations, emphasizing vaccines,” Trump remarked. He pointed out that DeSantis now talks about vaccinations positively but implied inconsistency in his approach.
Trump also asserted that DeSantis did not belong to the category of conservative governors who had effectively managed the pandemic, suggesting that he did not believe DeSantis had done a “good job.”
Furthermore, Trump brought up a concerning statistic, stating, “By the way, just so you’re aware, Florida ranked third in terms of COVID-related deaths. Unfortunately, it had the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths, which is a significant and unfortunate statistic. Ron DeSantis ranks third in terms of actual COVID-related deaths.”
Here's a map of every state that has passed all of the following:
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 5, 2023
— Ban on state and local lockdowns
— Ban on state and local mask mandates
— Ban on state and local vaccine mandates
— Ban on gain-of-function research pic.twitter.com/K9RNJDCweP
The DeSantis campaign, on the other hand, has argued that Florida fully reopened in early May 2020 after initially implementing COVID restrictions in early April. They have also emphasized DeSantis’s actions in banning mask and vaccine mandates, as well as gain-of-function mandates, within the state.
After Florida reopened, Dr. Fauci continued advocating for mask and lockdown measures during Trump’s administration, even into January 2021 as Trump’s presidency was coming to an end. At that time, the White House COVID-19 Response Team suggested that Florida implement lockdown measures, a recommendation that Governor DeSantis did not follow.
Approximately a week later, the White House under Trump’s leadership presented Dr. Fauci and others with “Presidential Commendations” for their contributions to Operation Warp Speed.
Carly Atchison, the national spokesperson for the DeSantis campaign, responded to Trump’s comments by stating, “Ron DeSantis is the sole candidate in the race who resisted the directives of Washington, D.C. bureaucrats and rejected their perceived lockdowns and mandates. Voters understand that only President DeSantis can ensure that America will not be subjected to lockdowns again. Every other candidate has either already failed this test or is making promises they may not be trustworthy to keep.”
This response from the DeSantis campaign highlights their contention that DeSantis took a strong stance against lockdowns and mandates, which they see as a distinguishing factor in his candidacy.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung criticized Ron DeSantis, referring to him as “Lockdown Ron,” and suggested that he should reflect on his decisions regarding closing down Florida businesses that did not adhere to social distancing guidelines while simultaneously advocating to keep abortion clinics open.
Cheung also pointed out that DeSantis did not remove what some refer to as “Florida’s Fauci,” a reference to former Palm Beach County Health Director Alina Alonso. Additionally, he directed Fox News Digital to a campaign website post from June with the headline “Ron DeSantis’ Lying Record on COVID,” which presumably contains further criticisms of DeSantis’s handling of the pandemic.