President Donald Trump said Wednesday he personally called Joe Biden during the transition to warn him against empowering Dr. Anthony Fauci, advice the incoming president ignored before giving the longtime health official sweeping authority over pandemic response.
“I called Biden to tell him Fauci was no good, either didn’t have a clue, or was dishonest,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The call was well received, but sadly, not acted on. Biden went on to give Fauci vast destructive power. The rest is history!”
Trump’s comments came as Fauci testified before the Senate in a contentious hearing examining the origins of COVID-19, which killed more than 1.2 million Americans.
Death Toll Comparison Spans Different Time Frames
The president claimed more Americans died from COVID under Biden than during his own administration, citing the figure as evidence of failed leadership. “Many more people died of COVID under the Biden administration than under the Trump administration,” Trump said, touting Operation Warp Speed as “one of the most successful things ever done by an American president.”
The comparison covers Biden’s four-year term against roughly one year of pandemic response during Trump’s first term, when the virus emerged in early 2020.
Fauci Protected China on Lab Origins, Trump Says
Trump accused Fauci of “always trying to protect China” regarding the pandemic’s origins, pointing to the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director’s earlier statements that the virus likely did not come from a Wuhan wet market.
“I overrode Fauci on this,” Trump wrote, though the source material cuts off mid-sentence without completing his thought on what specific action he took.
The hearing marks renewed scrutiny of Fauci’s role in pandemic decision-making, particularly around questions of the virus’s origins and the extent of U.S. funding for coronavirus research at Chinese laboratories. For millions of Americans who lost jobs, businesses, and family members during lockdowns, the question of accountability for pandemic policies remains unresolved nearly six years after the crisis began.
Key Points
- Trump says he personally called Biden to warn that Fauci “was no good” but Biden gave him “vast destructive power” anyway
- More COVID deaths occurred during Biden’s four-year term than Trump’s one year dealing with the pandemic
- Trump accused Fauci of protecting China on questions about the virus originating from a Wuhan lab
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4667308/trump-warned-biden-anthony-fauci-no-good-didnt-listen/ – July 29, 2026
