Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx Should Resign As Trump Advisors On Coronavirus by Robert Covington Jr.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and Dr. Deborah Birx, a highly respected researcher and immunologist are two doctors that have given much of their adult lives to science, medicine and public health. They’re most famously known for their tireless work and contribution in the HIV/AIDS fight in the 1980’s and 1990’s to the present.
Their reputations are stellar and many peers in their field were ecstatic to hear that these doctors were going to be part of the White House Task Force advising Donald Trump on the coronavirus pandemic. We can imagine how motivated and determined they were to provide the president their expertise in fighting the biggest pandemic America and the world has seen in the last one hundred years.
However, given what we’ve seen the past two months with Trump’s predictable disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic, for the sake of their reputations, but more importantly for the sake of the country, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx should resign as Trump advisors on coronavirus pandemic.
At first glance, many would roll their eyes at this statement. But these two esteemed doctors earned the respect of so many because of their lifelong commitment to public health and public health crises. And if Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx take a step back, be honest with themselves and put public health at the forefront of this coronavirus pandemic, they must conclude that Trump is a danger to America’s public health.
Dr. Birx and Dr.Fauci must know that Trump is lying to Americans everyday about what he and his administration are doing. These doctors know that the only way to avoid further mass death is for Trump to fully exercise the DPA, engage in aggressive testing and contact tracing, and demand a national stay at home order for an extended period of time. But he’s not doing it because of calculating self-interest, greed and business vultures like the Chamber of Commerce encouraging him not to do so.
Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci are sitting there everyday listening to Trump and Vice President Pence shamelessly ask Americans, healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, first responders and grocery clerks to give the ultimate sacrifice of themselves when this administration is doing the bare minimum to save American lives.
Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci are totally aware of Trump’s callous and indifferent responses to American governors expressing their frustration, desperation and requests for greater federal assistance only exacerbates the public health crisis in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Fauci sits in on phone calls to governors listening to Trump blatantly lie about not knowing the urgency for more testing and then goes out there and stands next to Trump in these press conferences.
These doctors are seeing firsthand, just like the rest of us, that there is no sense of urgency by this administration. They see Trump touting his TV ratings while doctors and nurses are writing up wills because many expect to die because of the lack of protective equipment in this fight against a deadly virus.
Is there a breaking point for these doctors to say enough is enough? I can’t be part of this any longer?
Mental health experts such as Dr. Bandy Lee, Justin Frank and Elizabeth Mika have been warning us for years about the threat Donald Trump poses to humanity. Their expertise has taught us that the longer you subject yourself to the daily exposure and interaction with a narcissistic psychopath as dangerous, incompetent and corrupt as Trump, the more tainted, abused and tolerant of his actions you become.
As this crisis inevitably worsens, Trump’s emotional wounds and needs will intensify and he’ll demand allegiance, flattery and accommodation of those around him as the death count increases and graphic photos of death are blasted on the TV screen. Trump will continue to chip away and test their commitment to public health and safety and demand loyalty to him. Trump will ask Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci to rescue him with lies, misinformation and manipulating numbers and misery in ways that deflect responsibility from his actions. They will have to compromise their integrity, honor and oath in order to remain in good standing with the authoritarian leader. We don’t have to guess or speculate. This is Trump’s mental pathology that we’ve seen from him before and during his presidency.
We’ve seen it already from Dr. Birx when she gave a frighteningly dishonest and embarrassing interview about Trump’s attentiveness to detail, respect for science and business background playing a pivotal and important role in suggesting seriousness and sensitivity of Trump to the situation. This delusional response does not match the facts about Trump. Anyone that has followed his career and presidency knows that Trump has the attention span of a two year old, has no interest in science and his business background of reference is fraud, corruption and massive failure.
Dr. Fauci did his part too in trying to cover up for Trump’s death causing negligence when he said that no one is to blame for the initial poor response to warnings about the coronavirus. Yes, there have been moments when Dr. Fauci has corrected Trump’s lies and misinformation. But it pales in comparison to what he has tolerated.
It should be clear to them now that you cannot serve the public good and Donald Trump at the same time. NBC news recently put out a devastating report that interviews public health experts telling Americans that Trump’s inept response will continue to cost lives.
Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx have a choice: resign so greater focus can be put on Trump as the biggest threat to American public health or subject themselves to the wrath of Trump that will come at them on his terms at some point — while further damage occurs to their own reputation because complicity is what will be required for them to stay.
What say you Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx?
Follow me on twitter: @robcovingtonjr
