11:16 AM PT -- Trump just clarified his criticism of Dr. Fauci ... and compared him to Bob Hope in the process.
DT tweeted Monday after his press call, "Dr.Tony Fauci says we don’t allow him to do television, and yet I saw him last night on @60Minutes, and he seems to get more airtime than anybody since the late, great, Bob Hope. All I ask of Tony is that he make better decisions. He said “no masks & let China in”. Also, Bad arm!"
He also suggested Fauci ditch his Washing Nationals face-covering ... suggesting it wasn't up to snuff as far as protection goes, and again referring to what he calls "perhaps the worst pitch in the history of Baseball!"
Man ... POTUS is really hung up on that, isn't he?
President Trump is taking the gloves off against his top COVID-19 specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and throwing his expertise out the window ... this after the doc, arguably, went on the attack on "60 Minutes."
"People are tired of covid," the president said. "People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots... Fauci's a nice guy, he's been here for 500 years...wonderful sage telling us..."
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 19, 2020
POTUS had a press phone conference Monday, and let the insults fly against Fauci ... who he suggested was one of many "idiots" advising the White House and the public on the pandemic. He even said people were tired of hearing the guy ... plain and simple.
Reporters on the call said Trump called each of Dr. Fauci's media appearances a "bomb," but mused that firing him would cause more political fallout ... especially this close to the election. He also sarcastically referred to Fauci as a "wonderful sage" who's been around for "500 years."
Age shade from the 74-year-old.
Trump clearly feels it's time for Fauci to go, as he added ... "People are tired of COVID ... People are tried of hearing Fauci and all these idiots."
There's been tension between Trump and Fauci for months, but as for why Trump's going all out now -- blame it on "60 Minutes," perhaps.
.@realDonaldTrump disparages Dr. Fauci on campaign call, says people are tired of hearing from him and “all these idiots.” “He’s been here for 500 years,” Trump says and muses about firing him if it weren’t for negative press If he did. “Fauci’s a disaster.”
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) October 19, 2020
Dr. Fauci did a thorough segment on that show Sunday and touched on a number of things COVID-related -- including a claim the White House had restricted him in recent months from doing more interviews to get the word out about the virus.
Fauci also talked about Trump's positive diagnosis, and how there seemed to be a war on science and authority ... which he implied had been sparked by the President while in office.
The gloves are off.
Originally Published -- 9:27 AM PT