WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Democratic lawmakers joined a chorus of supporters online Monday, urging President Trump not to fire the nation’s top epidemiologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
The hashtag #SaveFauci began trending after the president retweeted a post critical of Fauci on Sunday that included the hashtag #FireFauci.
The White House says despite the hashtag, the president is not about to fire Fauci.
“I don’t know what the president is thinking,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said.
Dingell says she woke Monday morning and saw the president in her Twitter feed.
“It deeply concerned me that he would retweet what he did,” Dingell said. “I think it’s far too personal. I think that all of us should all want to have the experts.”
The retweet came just hours after Fauci made the comment:
“If you started mitigation earlier, you could’ve saved lives.”
Dingell worked side-by-side with Fauci during the aids epidemic
“I’ve known him a long time. He doesn’t react. He just stays calm, but he tells you truth,” Dingell said.
She and several Democratic lawmakers are now rallying behind him, using the hashtag #SaveFauci, which is trended on Twitter.
“We need to be able to rely our decisions based on facts and science. Dr. Fauci will do that and we need people like him making those calls,” Dingell said.
The White House says they do not have plans of firing Fauci, calling the assertions ridiculous.
But some republicans still think the doctor should take a back seat.
In an op-ped, Colorado Congressman Ken Buck blamed Fauci for the economic fallout that has caused millions to lose their jobs.
Buck wrote, “Fauci should no longer be the primary voice at the table.”
Fauci has served under six us presidents and recent polls show most Americans approve of the job he’s doing.
