Dr. Anthony Fauci has advised six presidents on public-health crises. Now he’s not allowed to speak publicly without White House approval.
- The Trump administration has barred Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), from speaking publicly about the novel coronavirus without approval, according to The New York Times.
- Fauci is one of the top experts in the US on infectious diseases, and his sober public messages have contrasted with President Donald Trump’s optimistic claims about the impact of the illness.
- An NIAID spokesperson told Business Insider the claim in the Times report is “not true.”
- Experts have criticized the Trump administration for effectively muzzling Fauci with the US facing its most serious public-health crisis in years.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
President Donald Trump’s administration has barred one of the top US experts on infectious diseases from speaking out about the coronavirus outbreak without permission from the White House, The New York Times reported Thursday, in an apparent bid to stop contradictory messages about the public-health crisis.
At a Wednesday press conference, Trump announced that Vice President Mike Pence — who has faced criticism for his handling of an HIV outbreak as Indiana governor — would lead US efforts to halt the spread of the illness and that Pence would report directly to Trump.
MORE @ Source: Coronavirus: Trump admin bars Anthony Fauci from discussing outbreak – Business Insider
