Trump calls Fauci remarks on risks to reopening schools, economy unacceptable

By Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump departs on travel to the Camp David presidential retreat from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday described as not acceptable a warning given by top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci this week about the dangers of reopening the economy and schools too quickly.

 

"To me it's not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about Fauci's warnings to senators on Tuesday about the risks of reopening the schools and economy too soon.

 

Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also warned that a premature lifting of lockdowns could lead to additional outbreaks of the deadly coronavirus, which has killed more than 82,000 people in the United States and brought the economy to its knees.

 

Trump, in contrast, said on Wednesday the only thing that would be acceptable would be professors or teachers "over a certain age" not holding classes. "I think they ought to take it easy for another few weeks," he added.

 

The president, who previously made the strength of the economy central to his pitch for re-election in November, has encouraged states to reopen businesses and schools that were shuttered to halt the spread of the highly contagious respiratory disease.

 

Fauci, 79, a proponent of the lockdowns, has become a target for criticism from the American far right and online conspiracy theorists since he made statements about the outbreak that were at odds with Trump's.

 

In April, Trump retweeted a call to fire Fauci, after the doctor said lives could have been saved if the country had shut down sooner, spurring speculation his days in the administration could be numbered.

 

"Anthony is a good person, a very good person, I’ve disagreed with him," Trump said in an interview earlier on Wednesday with Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria," repeating his refrain that the country must reopen.

 

"We want to do it safely, but we also want to do it as quickly as possible. ... We have to get it open. I totally disagree with him on schools," Trump said.

Asked about Trump’s comments, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN that Fauci was “sounding an honest voice of caution and I share his view.”

 

“I think we have to be very careful about the steps we take."

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional Reporting by Eric Beech; Writing by Tim Ahmann and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-14

 

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Sorry, Mr. Pres.  You cannot argue with science and 40 + years of experience in this field. You cannot inject "alternate facts" into this one!

Sooo who to belive a scientist doctor and expert in his field or a pathological liar up for re-election hummm that one is a simple choice for most folks and btw imo dr Fauci kept the gloves on so to speak

What are the chances the term Fauci-gate will be introduced by Trump any day now.

It is his right to disagree. Fauci had his pov from the medical side, others will chime in from the economical side. And then decisions will have to be made based on guidelines from the federal government.

 

Unfortunately in the past the guidelines have been ignored by the states and the WH.

 

'Unacceptable' seems a bad choice of words btw.

Edited May 14, 20206 yr by stevenl

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

"To me it's not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools,"

 

Overall, Fauci's comments are unacceptable in that they are not scalable or possible (continued lockdowns) but thats his job as a disease expert to say theses things. He even says it him self that hes not an economist. 

 

This is not denying science, its a simple reality. Fauci is an advisor, not a policy maker. 

 

But I gotta break from Trump on the schools thing. Children and schools are hotbeds for disease spreading and while they probably won't get sick, they sure will bring it home. 

42 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Sorry, Mr. Pres.  You cannot argue with science and 40 + years of experience in this field. You cannot inject "alternate facts" into this one!

what science?

the virus kills old and sick

 

5 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

what science?

the virus kills old and sick

 

This is a totally idiotic statement. It doesn't just kill the old and the sick, it kills people of all ages. Yes, if you are old and sick then you are more likely to die from the covid19 virus. Seems you've go no idea about the science and should go and do some research to inform yourself.

8 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

what science?

the virus kills old and sick

 

That's false.

The virus has killed all age groups.

17 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

what science?

the virus kills old and sick

 

No, it kills people from all ages, get your facts right.

29 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And where does Yinn have her insider information from?

It seem you know everything better than anybody else - at least you believe that.

https://www.businessinsider.com/real-number-of-coronavirus-cases-underreported-us-china-italy-2020-4

6 minutes ago, Yinn said:

https://www.businessinsider.com/real-number-of-coronavirus-cases-underreported-us-china-italy-2020-4

Cases reported are based on people tested, so the figure is not 'underreported' as you cannot report unless you test, and to get an accurate figure, the entire population of the world has to be tested with 100% accurate tests.

1 hour ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Overall, Fauci's comments are unacceptable in that they are not scalable or possible (continued lockdowns) but thats his job as a disease expert to say theses things. He even says it him self that hes not an economist. 

 

This is not denying science, its a simple reality. Fauci is an advisor, not a policy maker. 

 

But I gotta break from Trump on the schools thing. Children and schools are hotbeds for disease spreading and while they probably won't get sick, they sure will bring it home. 

I disagree with your opening sentence but agree with everything else.

 

I think though there is something else Trump is missing.

 

Credibility.

 

A President possessed of credibility might encourage parents to send their children to school in the middle of a deadly pandemic.

 

A President bereft of credibility and openly refusing scientific advice will not be able to encourage parents to willingly send their children back to school.

 

There are no votes to be won in putting the nation’s children at risk while so visibly ignoring scientific advice.

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I disagree with your opening sentence but agree with everything else.

 

Dunno how you disagree with it. The US can not print any more money without winding in spending, and before you melt down, we can wind in spending AND have lower taxes. Stock markets are holding, showing confidence in recovery, but continued lockdowns and printing trillions of dollars will spook investors and could bring it all down. 

 

This is just as valid of a concern as the virus, and its not a viable long term strategy. 

29 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Cases reported are based on people tested, so the figure is not 'underreported' as you cannot report unless you test, and to get an accurate figure, the entire population of the world has to be tested with 100% accurate tests.

That’s a flawed argument.

 

Testing is subject to error, so will never be 100% , the results of mass testing therefore always be subject to a ‘degree of confidence’.

 

Statistical sampling is very well established as a means to determine the incidence of a disease in a population based on partial sampling - also to within a ‘degree of confidence’.

 

There are a number of problems with relying only on testing as the basis of reporting the incidence of the disease, not least the President’s own words on the matter of testing:

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-too-much-coronavirus-testing-makes-us-look-bad-2020-5

 

Because 45 often speaks in gibberish, I ran his comments through Google translate, and this is what came up for 'unnacceptable':

 

It makes the chances for 45 to win re-election and avoid prosecution for the crimes for which he is already an unindicted co-conspirator much lower than they already are, so 45 is scared he will spend the rest of his life in jail. Additionally (Google is really good in this way) it means that none of his arguments to avoid making his tax returns available, which will expose him for the fraud he has been his entire life, plus reveal what's in [a certain EU bank's records] regarding the off balance sheet SIVs that were used to provide 45's financing for his underwater business assets, and he will be roundly humiliated.

11 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Dunno how you disagree with it. The US can not print any more money without winding in spending, and before you melt down, we can wind in spending AND have lower taxes. Stock markets are holding, showing confidence in recovery, but continued lockdowns and printing trillions of dollars will spook investors and could bring it all down. 

 

This is just as valid of a concern as the virus, and its not a viable long term strategy. 

Again it all comes down to credibility.

 

Will you take your family to the restaurant, mall, city center if it opens tomorrow?

 

 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Sooo who to belive a scientist doctor and expert in his field or a pathological liar up for re-election hummm that one is a simple choice for most folks and btw imo dr Fauci kept the gloves on so to speak

He isn't an economist so you need to balance it out. 

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Again it all comes down to credibility.

 

Thats doesn't even mean anything. 

 

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Will you take your family to the restaurant, mall, city center if it opens tomorrow?

 

Depends on where it is and the situation in the state/county, because its not a blanket solution. 

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

It is his right to disagree. Fauci had his pov from the medical side, others will chime in from the economical side. And then decisions will have to be made based on guidelines from the federal government.

 

Unfortunately in the past the guidelines have been ignored by the states and the WH.

 

'Unacceptable' seems a bad choice of words btw.

 

Location by location is seemingly choosing it's own side of the issue now. The lockdowns are increasingly broken as people become more desperate.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday described as not acceptable a warning given by top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci this week about the dangers of reopening the economy and schools too quickly.

Yep, As always! Mr. Trump calls out the experts. ????????

A post without a source link and a reply has been removed, it should be noted that a source link has now been provided later in the topic.

8 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Why don't you just stay inside unless you are a felon and we let you out?

Eeeeh??? What are you talking about? I was posting in regards to the OP.

2 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Eeeeh??? What are you talking about? I was posting in regards to the OP.

 

You are collecting a check and sheltering in place? Meanwhile the jails in the USA are emptied out making the felons free and the free people prisoners. It wasn't really a shot at you directly. 

36 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

That’s a flawed argument.

 

Testing is subject to error, so will never be 100% , the results of mass testing therefore always be subject to a ‘degree of confidence’.

 

Statistical sampling is very well established as a means to determine the incidence of a disease in a population based on partial sampling - also to within a ‘degree of confidence’.

 

There are a number of problems with relying only on testing as the basis of reporting the incidence of the disease, not least the President’s own words on the matter of testing:

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-too-much-coronavirus-testing-makes-us-look-bad-2020-5

 

How can you report an incidence without testing to see if there actually is an incidence? You may be reporting a non-incidence because you would not know.

Also in the original article Yinn quoted, it says "Halloran said the actual number of US cases could be anywhere from 5 to 20 times the current number, based on recent models. But any model, she added, should be taken with a grain of salt.".

That is quite some 'degree of confidence' and looks rather more like a 'guess'

38 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Because 45 often speaks in gibberish, I ran his comments through Google translate, and this is what came up for 'unnacceptable':

 

It makes the chances for 45 to win re-election and avoid prosecution for the crimes for which he is already an unindicted co-conspirator much lower than they already are, so 45 is scared he will spend the rest of his life in jail. Additionally (Google is really good in this way) it means that none of his arguments to avoid making his tax returns available, which will expose him for the fraud he has been his entire life, plus reveal what's in [a certain EU bank's records] regarding the off balance sheet SIVs that were used to provide 45's financing for his underwater business assets, and he will be roundly humiliated.

Hope so, I dearly hope so. For the good of the whole world.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday described as not acceptable a warning given by top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci this week about the dangers of reopening the economy and schools too quickly.

Realities that trump believes will hinder his re-election campaign rarely are acceptable to him. . 

The brave are going to go out and take care of the weak yet again. Please, stay inside. 

A troll post has been removed

I don't think anyone is surprised that Trump is going after Fauci.

 

Fauci bases his statements on facts and thinks things through before opening his mouth. Trump is the other way around - he's guided by his emotions - when he sees something, he has no critical thinking - he takes everything without evaluating whether information makes any sense, whether it casts any doubts on the story - he just takes it at face value, filters it down to what fits his own agenda, dismisses everything else, and lashes out to anyone who disagrees. On top of it, unlike most politicians who have thicker skin than a rhino, Trump's is as thin as corona virus, and sees everything as an attack on him. Media uses that to trigger his emotional responses, in a way of completely gobbled up responses or angry bashing to make him look even worse. On one hand he is completely unfit for his job. On the other, he wouldn't turn out half as bad if media didn't make so much from playing him.