Anthony Fauci pushes back against reports of rift with President Trump over coronavirus

Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed back Tuesday against reports of a growing rift over coronavirus with President Donald Trump even as his boss suggests he is ready to scale back or end measures to contain the pandemic.

“I would wish that would stop because we have a much bigger problem here than trying to point out differences,” Fauci told WMAL.

The nation's top pandemic doctor insisted that Trump takes his advice, even though he has regularly been forced to correct the president's lies and exaggerations about the fast-spreading disease.

When I have made recommendations, he has taken them,” Fauci said. “The idea of just pitting one against the other is just not helpful.”

The stakes have risen dramatically this week as Trump suggests he is poised to scale back shutdown measures against the advice of public health experts.

Fauci has said that the measures are needed for at least “several weeks at a minimum” to stop the spread of the virus.

Trump earlier suggested that America would be on shut down mode through the summer. But on Monday, he dramatically shifted to stress that he might order businesses to open after an initial 15-day period expires next week.

Trump refused to commit to heeding the advice of health experts if they believe the country needs to be shut down for longer, suggesting their point of view is no more valuable than unnamed “others.”

White House political and economic advisers are warning Trump that the economic impact of the pandemic could easily torpedo his reelection hopes.