The Epoch Times
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who became one of the most visible government officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, spent time most days outlining his thoughts on what was transpiring at the time.
Fauci’s diary was collected by the Department of Health and Human Services and released by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) ahead of a hearing with Fauci on July 29.
Fauci wrote in the diary about his time as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases when COVID-19 was detected in early 2020, and as officials across the country took unprecedented steps—including forcing the closure of schools—in response.
Here are some takeaways from his diary.
Detailed Interactions With Trump
Fauci regularly wrote about speaking with President Donald Trump, with early interactions largely positive.
During a Jan. 29, 2020, meeting, Fauci recalled how Trump entered and said, “Anthony you are really a famous guy.” Trump said his friend Lou Dobbs, a radio host, had conveyed that Fauci was smart and knowledgeable.
Trump “then stayed for 20 minutes and asked most of his questions of me,” Fauci wrote. “I was surprised and very pleased and the Deputies were clearly stunned and impressed.”
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Trump, Fauci, and other top officials in early 2020 called on Americans to stay at home for 15 days to stop the spread of COVID-19, a time period that was repeatedly extended throughout the year.
The relationship between Trump and Fauci began to sour over time as Trump pushed for reopening the country and Fauci favored keeping heavy restrictions in place.
“Tony, I really like you, and you know that, but what the [expletive] are you doing?” Fauci quoted Trump as telling him in November 2020. “You constantly drop bombs on me. Everybody wants me to fire you, but I am not going to fire you, you have too illustrious a career, but you have to be positive. The country cannot stay locked down.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social on July 29 that Fauci had “crazy ideas” and “made too many bad calls, like on MASKS.” He added: “In any event I didn’t let him shut the Country down, although he wanted to. I went the Federalist way, and let the governors decide.”
Acknowledged ‘Unintended Consequences’
Fauci was primarily focused on health, while Trump has said he was also taking into account economic and other factors.
Fauci wrote in one entry on May 6, 2020, that Trump was only focused on “opening and saving the economy for the election in November,” when the presidential election was scheduled. Fauci added, “To be fair, we should consider that there are unintended consequences in my area of health.” He said he’d recently spoken to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and that they estimated more than one million children across the world may have missed receiving a measles vaccine due to the shutdowns.
“This is terrible and needs to be addressed since on that basis alone, there would be far, far more excess deaths from measles among children than coronavirus deaths among children,” Fauci said. “I need to bring this up at [the task force] meeting.”
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