Dr. Celine Gounder said that the muzzling of health officials tells her that Trump isn’t listening to his scientists on the coronavirus.
Dr. Gounder said on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House, “I’m extremely concerned because that means the white house is not listening to its best scientists. They are more concerned about political messaging. Fauci has served under Ronald Reagan, both Bushs, and was never prevented from speaking out in this way. During the HIV epidemic, he was able to say what he needed to say to bring it under control.”
Video:
Dr. Celine Gounder says on Deadline: White House that the Trump administration is not listening to their best scientists on the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/4DGBLLunwz
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 27, 2020
Trump is more worried about trying to pump up the stock market with happy talk than he is a matter of public health and safety.
Any president should be listening to the scientists, but Trump is placing politics and his own political interests ahead of the health of the nation.
The president’s behavior is not surprising. During the impeachment trial, Rep. Adam Schiff warned that Trump would behave in exactly such a way. A pandemic is getting closer, and Trump is ignoring the science in a bid to save his reelection campaign.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
