Politics

Fauci Criticizes Trump’s Coronavirus Response But Disputes CNN Report On His ‘Nonexistent’ Vaccine Plan

(Screenshot/YouTube/Fox Business)

Anders Hagstrom White House Correspondent
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Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic Thursday during his first COVID-19 briefing under President Joe Biden.

Fauci is one of few officials Biden has chosen to carry over from the Trump administration, maintaining his senior-level role in coordinating the U.S. pandemic response. Fauci took several opportunities to criticize the former president during his first appearance as a member of the Biden administration, but he did contradict a Thursday report from CNN which argued the Trump administration had left no vaccine distribution plan for the new administration. (RELATED: Press Secretary Jen Psaki Won’t Say Whether Biden Supports Senate Conviction Of Donald Trump)

“We certainly are not starting from scratch because there is activity going on in the distribution,” he said.

Fauci also took a number of opportunities to swipe at Trump.

Fauci was asked whether Amazon’s assistance in distributing coronavirus vaccines would have been helpful under the Trump administration. He said he said he did not have enough information to answer, but rebuked Trump in doing so.

Fauci also swiped at Trump later on when asked how Biden’s handling of the pandemic would differ from Trump’s.

“One of the things that we’re going to do is to be completely open, transparent, & honest, if things go wrong, not point fingers, but to correct them, and to make everything we do be based on science and evidence,” Fauci said.

Reporters then commented on Fauci’s apparent falling out of favor with Trump toward the end of his administration. Fauci argued that the new administration’s devotion to science felt “liberating.”

Fauci says the Biden administration plans to distribute 100 million vaccine doses in its first 100 days. He said most Americans will have access to a vaccine by mid summer.