Who is Dr. Anthony Fauci? The coronavirus expert advising President Trump, America
Dr. Anthony Fauci has been the expert voice at the president’s side for most White House briefings on coronavirus and has become, to millions of Americans, the public face of scientific expertise amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He’s had plenty of practice speaking in front of cameras during his career and isn’t new to working side by side with the White House, having advised six presidents on diseases and epidemics at home and abroad, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Fauci, 79, stepped into the director role in 1984 and has been at the helm through the Zika and Ebola outbreaks as well as the 2001 anthrax scare, according to NIAID.
But just months ago, Fauci was perhaps better known for his work in advancing HIV/AIDS research, for which he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.
“Those who know Tony do admit one flaw: Sometimes he forgets to stop working. He regularly puts in 80-hour weeks. And from time to time, he’s even found notes on his windshield left by coworkers that say things like, ‘Go home. You’re making me feel guilty,’ ” then-president George W. Bush said during the Medal of Freedom ceremony.
Through his consistent media presence in the weeks since COVID-19 took hold in the U.S., Fauci is now a much-discussed figure and achieved meme status following a recent coronavirus news conference, when Fauci covered his face in what many construed as frustration.
There’s disagreement among supporters of the president and critics over what the “Fauci Facepalm” meant, according to Business Insider.
For Fauci’s part, he’s keeping quiet, telling Science Magazine “no comment” when asked about the gesture.
In that same interview, Fauci discussed his relationship with President Donald Trump, saying that while the two often disagree, “He does listen to what I say.”
Fauci also discussed how he responds to false statements made by the president during the nationwide addresses, preferring to handle them behind the scenes as opposed to publicly correcting him.
“The next time they sit down with him and talk about what he’s going to say, they will say, ‘By the way, Mr. President, be careful about this and don’t say that,’ ” Fauci told the magazine. “But I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down.”
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Who is Dr. Anthony Fauci? The coronavirus expert advising President Trump, America."