White House COVID-19 task force member Anthony Fauci said on Friday that it’s been a while since President Donald Trump attended a meeting with the team.
“That was several months ago, Chuck. Several months ago,” Fauci told MSNBC host Chuck Todd.
The COVID-19 expert also said that Trump pays less attention to him these days than Scott Atlas, the controversial task force member who pushes scientifically dubious talking points about the virus that appeal to Trump’s politically motivated efforts to reopen the country.
“I definitely don’t have his ear as much as Scott Atlas right now,” Fauci said.
The doctor told Todd that Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the task force, is more attuned to the team’s operations.
“We certainly interact with the vice president at the task force meetings, and the vice president makes our feelings and what we talk about there known to the President,” Fauci said.
“But direct involvement with the President in the discussions…I have not done that in a while,” he added.
This comes as Trump privately criticizes Fauci and publicly questions his political leanings and initial guidance on mask-wearing.
Watch Fauci below:
Fauci says it's been "several months" since Trump last attended a COVID-19 task force meeting. pic.twitter.com/esr2YOrgYN
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) October 23, 2020
