Former President Donald Trump defended his decision not to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci during his administration in a recent interview. When asked why he didn’t dismiss Fauci, Trump stated that it wasn’t allowed because Fauci was a civil servant. He also noted that while Fauci offered advice, he didn’t always follow it, emphasizing that Fauci was not a significant player in his administration.
Trump has been critical of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential opponent in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump highlighted DeSantis’s decision to shut down Florida and implement various measures, such as vaccine distribution and mask mandates. He criticized DeSantis’s response to the pandemic and argued that Florida had the third-highest number of COVID-19 deaths, calling it a “horrible statistic.”
The DeSantis campaign defended the governor’s actions, emphasizing his rejection of lockdowns and mandates. They argued that DeSantis stood up to Washington, D.C. bureaucrats and maintained that only he could be trusted to prevent future lockdowns.
In response to Trump’s comments, the Trump campaign criticized DeSantis for closing Florida businesses that didn’t practice social distancing while allowing abortion clinics to remain open. They also referred to a previous post on the campaign website titled “Ron DeSantis’ Lying Record on COVID.”