Former President Barack Obama privately slammed Donald Trump as a “hopeless idiot” and a “pathologic[al] liar” and called his successor’s son, Donald Trump Jr., a “fucking moron” during a phone call with Dr. Anthony Fauci at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Fauci’s COVID-era diary.
Fauci, who was then director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Biden White House’s chief medical adviser, wrote in a Nov. 4, 2021, diary entry that Obama called him on his cellphone and, during an “incredibly memorable” 25-minute conversation, offered “to help in any way that he can” as Fauci faced an “onslaught of slanderous lies” from the political right.
The diary was published this weekend by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) as he continues to criticize Fauci’s handling of the government’s pandemic response.
Obama “said that I was a ‘civilian’ and that I should not have to put up with this nonsense,” Fauci wrote, adding: “He as a politician is used to this, but I have done nothing but serve that American public and the world for decades.”
Fauci recalled telling Obama “about the crazy things that the far-right Republicans were doing including the fact that Donald Trump, Jr. had on his website the sale of sweatshirts and T shirts to collect money for his campaign and on the T shirts and sweatshirts it said ‘Fauci kills puppies.’”
The merchandise referenced misleading claims about government-funded experiments involving beagles.
Obama, Fauci wrote, replied “that Donald Trump Jr. is ‘a fucking moron’” before apologizing “for using crude language but then went on to say that Donald Trump was a hopeless idiot who was a pathologic liar.”
Fauci added that Obama “was very upset that none of the moderate Republicans were actually speaking out on my behalf and were distancing themselves from all of this terrible slanderous behavior against me.”