Commentators reacted Tuesday to White House senior medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci apparently admitting his decision to continue wearing a mask indoors while fully vaccinated was “theater.”
“But he swore it wasn’t theater,” Fox News’ Brit Hume tweeted in response to a clip of Fauci on “Good Morning America” admitting his wearing masks indoors, even though he was vaccinated, was not based on science. (RELATED: ‘The Evidence Is Zero’: Rand Paul Says Fauci Is Lying About Masks ‘Because He Doesn’t Believe We Are Smart Enough To Make Decisions’)
“I didn’t want to look like I was giving mixed signals but being a fully vaccinated person, the chances of my getting infected in an indoor setting is extremely low,” Fauci said, explaining why he continued to wear masks indoors despite being fully vaccinated prior to the recent, abrupt change in health guidance. (RELATED: ‘I’m Over Dr. Fauci’: Meghan McCain Says Biden Admin Should ‘Put Someone Else In Place That Maybe Does Understand Science’)
But he swore it wasn’t theater. https://t.co/bJ1sZNXnEX
— Brit Hume (@brithume) May 18, 2021
The comments stood in contrast to his earlier testimony during a mid-March Senate hearing when Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said wearing face masks while fully vaccinated amounted to nothing more than “theater” and “show” — and Fauci disagreed.
“Let me state for the record that masks are not theater, masks are protective,” Fauci argued at the time. And Hume wasn’t the only one who recalled those comments and reacted on social media.
So it was theater, which he denied under oath before Congress. https://t.co/fKbKFsgTTE
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) May 18, 2021
Dr. Fauci Admits He Wore Masks Only for Optics https://t.co/VNr60cP4st
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 18, 2021
Did Rand Paul get his apology? https://t.co/yRCGZPpiGo
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 18, 2021
Did anyone else notice that right after Rand Paul exposed Fauci over gain of function research in Wuhan, the pandemic mandates were lifted?
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) May 18, 2021
Fauci never believed in the mystical powers of the mask. See what happens when the cameras turn off. He adapted to the political winds shifting. His initial commentary (that masks are a comfort and control mechanism) remained his position the entire time. https://t.co/A2K6k6Di71
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) May 18, 2021
Two months TO THE DAY after Dr. @RandPaul said Dr. Fauci was performing “theater” and wearing two masks “for show” despite being vaccinated, Dr. Fauci finally admits it was, indeed, for show. #KYSen https://t.co/5WewSth3OW
— Republican Party of Kentucky (@KYGOP) May 18, 2021
Dr. Fauci has now been on every side of the debate over whether masks are beneficial or not beneficial, necessary for those with immunity or unnecessary, theater or not theater.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 18, 2021
The only thing consistent about Dr. Fauci is his inconsistency https://t.co/wgLKrF3DgD
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) May 18, 2021