Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said he finds criticism getting lobbed his way by the White House “bizarre” and that he can’t explain White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who apparently went rogue to write a blistering opinion piece about Dr. Fauci this week.
The White House recently circulated a document to suggest Dr. Fauci has been wrong about some aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, though press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied that it was a concerted effort to try to undermine him.
“It is a bit bizarre — I don’t really fully understand it,” Dr. Fauci said in an interview that was streamed at an event hosted by The Atlantic on Wednesday.
Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the people involved in the effort were taken aback “by what a big mistake that was.”
“I cannot figure out in my wildest dreams why they would want to do that,” he said. “But I think they realize now that that was not a prudent thing to do, because it’s only reflecting negatively on them.”
Mr. Navarro also put his name to an opinion piece in USA Today in which he said Dr. Fauci has been wrong “about everything I have interacted with him on.”
“I can’t explain Peter Navarro — he’s in a world by himself,” Dr. Fauci said. “So I don’t even want to go there.”
President Trump said Wednesday he has a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci and that Mr. Navarro “made a statement representing himself.”
“He shouldn’t be doing that,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. Navarro.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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