Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Fauci Returns To White House Amid Swipes At His Reputation
The New York Times: Fauci Back At The White House, A Day After Trump Aides Tried To Undermine Him
A day after President Trump’s press office tried to undermine the reputation of the nation’s top infectious disease expert with an anonymously attributed list of what it said were his misjudgments in the early days of the coronavirus, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci returned to the White House on Monday. The visit underscored a reality for both men: They are stuck with each other. (Shear and Weiland, 7/13)
ABC News: Trump Says He Likes Fauci 'Personally' After Promoting Tweet, Without Evidence, Attacking 'Lying' Doctors
As the novel coronavirus spreads across the country -- leading to record numbers of cases and increased deaths in several states -- President Donald Trump shared a message on Twitter Monday saying doctors and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are "lying." Then, after promoting a message critical of the nation’s foremost infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Trump later in the day said he liked Fauci “personally.” (Gittleson, 7/13)
AP: White House Turns On Fauci As Trump Minimizes Virus Spike
Asked whether the president still had confidence in (Dr. Anthony) Fauci, a White House official on Monday insisted Trump did. The official said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was regarded as “a valued voice” on the White House coronavirus task force. The official spoke on condition of anonymity even though the president has repeatedly railed against anonymous sources. (Lemire and Miller, 7/14)
Reuters: Fauci Blames Virus Surge On U.S. Not Shutting Down Completely
Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on Monday ascribed the surge in U.S. coronavirus cases to the country’s failure to shut down completely, then a rush to reopen too soon, and urged a commitment to guidelines to snuff out the disease. He stressed basic protections including physical distancing, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and washing hands. (7/13)
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign weighs in —
The Hill: Biden Campaign Slams White House Attacks On Fauci As 'Disgusting'
Former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign on Monday slammed the Trump administration's recent attacks on the nation's top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, as "disgusting" on Monday." Over 135,000 Americans have lost their lives and tens of millions have lost their jobs because Donald Trump spent the last six months disastrously mismanaging the worst public health crisis in a century, the whole time failing to heed the warnings and guidance of medical experts -- particularly Dr. Fauci," Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement to reporters. (Manchester, 7/13)
