US Election: Trump To Sack Disease Expert, Fauci After Victory
Supporters want quick action
As the clock ticks towards the US presidential election date of November 3, 2020, President Donald Trump is not making any pretence about his resolve to deal with critics of his administration and perceived political enemies on his return to the White House.
And penciled down among his primary targets is America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci whom he has dropped several hints about likely sack on his re-election as the US President.
Responding to chants of ‘Fire Fauci’ at a curfew-breaching midnight rally in Florida, the President played up his usual caustic jabs, saying; “Nah, he’s been wrong on a lot. He’s a nice man though. He’s been wrong on a lot.”
As crowds at the Miami Opa-Locka airport chanted “Fire Fauci”, Trump allowed the chants to continue for several seconds before responding: “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election. I appreciate the advice. I appreciate it.”
Fauci, one of the world’s foremost infectious diseases experts, has served for over three decades as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
He is one of the lead experts on Trump’s Coronavirus taskforce and has frequently offered frank public health guidance in contrast to the President’s repeated falsehoods on the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump’s rally in Florida, a critical swing state he needs to hold to win the election, was held as COVID-19 cases in the state continued to surge.
Like countless Trump campaign rallies, there was no social distancing and thousands of attendees did not wear face masks.
Miami-Dade county, where the event took place, has a midnight curfew to mitigate the spread of the virus.
The county ordinance states the curfew is “necessary to safeguard life and health, as parties and gatherings late at night have the potential to spread COVID-19”.
Trump’s speech continued well past midnight and attendees were still leaving the venue after 1am.
The rally was Trump’s fifth event of the day, in a packed schedule that saw him visit five separate states as the election reaches its final day of campaigning.
Polls showed Trump behind Democrat Joe Biden in Florida by an average of 2.2%, foreshadowing a close race. – The Guardian
