Acosta also asked Fauci if he would have confidence in Trump’s ability to respond to Covid-19, if it is still a threat or some other public health emergency.
“If you look at the history of the response during the administration, I think, you know, at best you could say it wasn’t optimal,” Fauci said. “And I think history will speak for itself on that.”
Trump attacked Fauci publicly, at one point suggesting he was considering firing him, and by the end of his presidency Fauci was largely sidelined.
Fauci admitted last year that he was “uncomfortable” when drugs such as hydroxychloroquine were promoted as treatments for Covid-19 when they weren’t evidence-based, and he didn’t take ” no pleasure in being in a situation to contradict the president”. .”
He called it a “liberating feeling” of being able to “talk about what you know, the evidence, the science”, without fear of repercussions.