In a recent interview, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical adviser to the White House, of overpowering former President Donald Trump during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kennedy Jr. asserts that Fauci has only evaded incarceration due to the election of President Joe Biden in 2020.
Kennedy Jr., 70, has been a vocal critic of the government's handling of the pandemic and has expressed skepticism towards the COVID-19 vaccine. During a podcast interview with Blaze Media CEO Glenn Beck, Kennedy Jr. expressed his disdain for Fauci, who has long served as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Kennedy Jr. stated, "Well, hes not in jail because because Joe Biden is president and because, you know, unfortunately Donald Trump colluded with, or was run over by him." He further argued that Trump was aware of the issues at hand, including the potential harm of business shutdowns and lockdowns, and the potential benefits of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. However, according to Kennedy Jr., Trump was silenced by his own bureaucrats, leading him to conclude that Trump "doesnt deserve another chance" in office.
Fauci, 83, held a significant role in Trump's White House Coronavirus Task Force and was later promoted to chief medical adviser in Biden's COVID-19 Response Team before retiring at the end of 2022. Fauci was a strong proponent of social distancing and initially gave contradictory advice on mask-wearing to prevent a shortage of protective equipment.
Trump defended his decision not to dismiss Fauci, claiming he lacked the authority to do so and downplaying Fauci's role in his administration. "First of all, youre not allowed. Hes civil service, and youre not allowed to fire him," Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in 2023. He added, "But Dr. Fauci would tell me things, and I wouldnt do them, in many cases. But also, he wasnt a big player in my administration.
The decision not to fire Fauci became a significant point of discussion during the 2024 Republican primary, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticizing Trump for allowing Fauci to disseminate his controversial recommendations widely.
Kennedy Jr. also expressed concern over the stringent social pressure exerted on doctors regarding their statements about the vaccine and the pandemic response. "Thousands of doctors who were trying to tell the truth were punished, they were delicensed, they were gaslighted, they were vilified and demonized and silenced, and it was really criminal," he told Beck.
Kennedy Jr. also criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for altering the benchmarks for childhood development, a change he believes occurred after COVID lockdowns forced children to stay indoors and wear masks. "Theyre trying to normalize what they did to our children and the whole thing is so criminal and so corrupt," Kennedy said.
According to RealClearPolitics, Kennedy Jr. is currently the leading third-party candidate in the 2024 race, with an average support of 8.8%.
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