Bob Woodward’s book “Rage” just came out today causing a media fire storm since it has Trump saying that he knew along along that COVID-19 was very serious, but he played it down to not frighten the American public.
Some potentially damaging stuff about me. Woodward always said my discussions with him were “background” and not “on the record”. Yet he has others giving quotes by me that sounds like on the record. For example:
CNN: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the administration's top infectious disease expert, is quoted telling others Trump's leadership was "rudderless" and that his "attention span is like a minus number." "His sole purpose is to get reelected," Fauci told an associate, according to Woodward.
Washington Post: The book charts the Trump administration’s failings and missteps on the pandemic, including the decisions and actions of Pottinger, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, infectious-disease expert Anthony S. Fauci and others.
Fauci at one point tells others that the president “is on a separate channel” and unfocused in meetings, with “rudderless” leadership, according to Woodward. “His attention span is like a minus number,” Fauci said, according to Woodward. “His sole purpose is to get reelected.”
In one Oval Office meeting recounted by Woodward, after Trump had made false statements in a news briefing, Fauci said in front of him: “We can’t let the president be out there being vulnerable, saying something that’s going to come back and bite him.” Pence, Kushner, chief of staff Mark Meadows and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller tensed up at once, Woodward writes, surprised Fauci would talk to Trump that way.
Woodward describes Fauci as particularly disappointed in Kushner for talking like a cheerleader as if everything was great. In June, as
• Went on FOX News with John Roberts and unfortunately gave impression that I was defending Trump since I answered John’s question about did I ever see Trup play down COVID. I answered that we briefed him in the Oval and he would come out and not really contradict us. I should have said that he does play down COVID such as when he said it would “disappear like a miracle”.
PRESS: CBS This Morning; LBC UK Radio; Latin Leaders Magazine; FOX News with John Roberts; Celine Grounder podcast; Instagram with Jennifer Garner
Sep 9, 2020
Dr. Fauci’s released records hold 1 diary entry filed under Wednesday, September 9, 2020, from the Tony's Diary Package. 383 words in total, reproduced below exactly as released. The diary text appears on pp. 339–341 of 2026.07.24_Tonys-Diary-Package.pdf.
Correspondents named on this day4
Matched by surname against the 108 correspondents in the release, so a common name may match more than the person intended. See the whole of 2020 as a calendar.