'Without my permission': Fauci says he was 'taken out of context' in Trump ad touting coronavirus response

'Without my permission': Fauci says he was 'taken out of context' in Trump ad touting coronavirus response
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, addresses a briefing on the latest information about the Coronavirus Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in the James S. Brady Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
Elizabeth Preza
October 11, 2020

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday said an advertisement from the Trump campaign that featured a quote from the renowned immunologist was taken out of context, telling CNN's Kaitlan Collins that he did not consent to be the president's ad.

"In my nearly five decades of public service, I have never publicly endorsed any political candidate," Fauci said. "The comments attributed to me without my permission in the GOP campaign ad were taken out of context from a broad statement I made months ago about the efforts of federal public health officials."

The ad, which can be seen below, features Fauci appearing to praise the Trump administration's COVID-19 response, insisting "I can't imagine that anybody could be doing more."

That quote came from a Fox News interview in March during which Fauci praised the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

"Since the beginning, that we even recognized what this was, I have been devoting almost full time on this," Fauci said in that interview. "I'm down at the White House virtually every day with the task force. It's every single day. So, I can't imagine that under any circumstances that anybody could be doing more."

The White House this weekend blocked Fauci from appearing on ABC's "This Week."


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