‘That’s the circle of hell we’re in now’: Trump won’t let Fauci answer chloroquine question—Twitter has sick burns

04/08/2020 9:38 am ET • Amy Penn

'President NOT A DOCTOR': Twitter thinks its suspicious that Trump refused to let Dr.Fauci answer a question on dangers of hydroxychloroquine

Flickr/White House

With the United States inching towards 400,000 coronavirus infections and more than 12,000 deaths this week, many consider Dr. Anthony Fauci who is on the frontlines of the coronavirus taskforce, a voice of science and reason.

At a press briefing on Sunday though, it looked like President Trump didn’t want the U.S. director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to do his job.

A reporter directed a question to Dr. Fauci about the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine — an antimalarial drug that Trump has not just persistently pushed as the cure for COVID-19 but has reportedly stockpiled 29 million doses of.

Trump simply refused to let the doctor answer.

Don’t answer that

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Twitter / @DonaldJGrumpy

The president pointed to the journalist and complained that he had already answered that question “15 times” before telling Fauci, “You don’t have to ask the question again,” and moving on to another reporter’s question.

Americans watching the daily briefing took to Twitter to note just how suspicious it all looked.

Dr. Fauci, the ONE guy who should be fielding questions on the drug hydroxychloroquine, gets asked and trump shuts it down.

Reporter: "But he's your medical expert, right?"

The whole thing is fishy. pic.twitter.com/3QvGaZHNCd

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) April 6, 2020

Follow the money

Source: Canva

These reactions come at a time when reports are financially linking Trump and his aides to the drug that he has been touting as the “cure.” Independent news site, Truthout.org tracked a million-dollar deal between Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen (now in prison) to one of the largest manufacturers of hydroxychloroquine in the world.

New York Times also reports that Trump himself has a “small personal financial interest” in a company that manufactures hydroxychloroquine.

8th…9th?

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Some Twitter users resorted to recognizing the “circle of hell” that the U.S. is now in.

Donald Trump just refused to let Dr. Fauci answer a question about hydroxychloroquine. That's the circle of hell we're in now.

— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) April 6, 2020

Team Fauci

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Others are asking people to pick sides — Trump and his execs or Dr. Fauci and other scientists.

So which side are you going to take on the hydroxychloroquine issue — “game changer”or unproven and potentially dangerous?

On one side: Fauci and all reputable scientists
On the other: Trump, Giuliani, Hannity & Peter Navarro

Close call. https://t.co/crrBtBwHZ3

— Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) April 5, 2020

Not a doctor

Screenshot/YouTube

Some of them recognized that Donald Trump wasn’t a doctor and shouldn’t make claims about a cure in the time of a global pandemic — his claim led to the death of an Arizona man who ingested a version of the drug after hearing Trump touts its efficacy.

President NOT A DOCTOR! @realDonaldTrump just shut down Dr Anthony Fauci when he was asked a question about #Hydroxychloroquine. Refused to let him answer. Meanwhile Trump keeps telling people “what do you have to lose?”- … um how about your fucking life moron?

— aasif mandvi (@aasif) April 6, 2020

Show some manners

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