President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he barred Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top official on the White House COVID-19 task force, from testifying in front of the Democratic-controlled House last week because the hearing was supposedly a “setup” orchestrated by Trump’s political enemies.
“The House is a bunch of Trump haters,” the President told reporters on the White House lawn before leaving for Arizona. “They put every Trump hater on the committee, the same old stuff.”
“They frankly want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death,” he continued.
Trump accused House Democrats trying to sabotage his administration’s efforts to fight the outbreak “so they can win an election.”
Last week, the White House blocked Fauci from appearing at a House Appropriations Committee hearing that was scheduled for April 29, claiming that having him testify would be “counterproductive.”
Then this week the White House issued sweeping restrictions forbidding all task force members from testifying in front of the Senate without receiving clearance from White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to do so.
So far he has allowed Fauci and other officials to appear before the GOP-controlled Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Senate Committee next week.
Watch Trump below:
Trump on why he didn't let Fauci testify before the House last week: "The House is a bunch of Trump haters." pic.twitter.com/rSKCgRd0Oj
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) May 5, 2020
