The US has seen 4,342,498 COVID-19 cases and 149,085 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University on July 29. Dr Fauci and Mr Trump have often clashed publicly over how the US government has responded to the coronavirus pandemic. The US President’s latest jab at one of his top advisers on the pandemic came after he retweeted a message that claimed Dr Fauci had “misled the American public on many issues”.
Dr Fauci has pushed back against Mr Trump’s criticism against him in an interview with ABC.
The director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that he will “continue to do my job”.
He added: “We’re in the middle of a crisis with regard to a pandemic.
“This is what I do. This is what I’ve been trained for my entire professional life and I’ll continue to do it.
“I have not been misleading the American public under any circumstances.”
In another shot at the president, Dr Fauci also said he doesn’t use Twitter.
He said: “I don’t tweet, I don’t even read them.
“I don’t really want to go there.
“I just will continue to do my job, no matter what comes out, because I think it’s very important.”
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Mr Trump has recently stressed that he has “a very good” working relationship with Dr Fauci.
But the president also downplayed Dr Fauci’s coronavirus recommendations, and claimed he was a “bit of an alarmist”.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr Trump also said: “Dr Fauci’s a nice man, but he’s made a lot of mistakes.”
Members of the Trump administration have been more transparent in their attempts to discredit Dr Fauci, with Trade Adviser Peter Navarro writing an op-ed that savaged Dr Fauci’s contributions to the US’ coronavirus response.
Mr Navarro said: “Dr Anthony Fauci has a good bedside manner with the public, but he has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.
“So when you ask me whether I listen to Dr Fauci’s advice, my answer is: only with skepticism and caution.”
Mr Trump’s tweets followed a New York Times report that said the president was enraged that Dr Fauci was offered the first pitch at a Washington Nationals baseball game.
The New York Times also reported that Mr Trump claimed he would be throwing the opening pitch at a New York Yankees match without the Yankees agreeing to the appearance.
Mr Trump then cancelled the appearance, claiming he was “too busy” to show up due to the coronavirus pandemic.