#FireTrump trends after POTUS retweets call to sack Fauci for admitting earlier lockdown could've saved lives
Multiple social media users are taking to Twitter to slam President Donald Trump's veiled suggestion that he might fire the country's top immunologist Dr Anthony Fauci.
Hashtags #FireTrump and #FireTrumpNotFauci began trending on social media shortly after the President reposted a tweet calling for Fauci's removal.
Trump's disapproval of the expert came hours after Fauci criticized the Trump administration's coronavirus response saying that early social restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly virus could have saved lives.
The President has been facing immense scrutiny over his lack of precautionary measures to stem the virus spread at a time when he was warned about the potentially devastating effects of the pandemic.
The Republican retweeted a tweet from Dianna Laurrane which read, "Fauci is now saying that had Trump listened to the medical experts earlier he could've saved more lives. Fauci was telling people on February 29th that there was nothing to worry about and it posed no threat to the US public at large. Time to #FireFauci." Trump along with the retweet, wrote, "Sorry Fake News, it’s all on tape. I banned China long before people spoke up."
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The move, however, did not go well with social media users, many of whom said that Fauci, the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director, is the only person whose advice they trust in the time of the pandemic, which has claimed over 22,000 lives in the United States.
"We're all in a lifeboat and a loudmouth psychopath is trying to tip it over and all of our lives are on the line.#FireTrump," a Twitter user wrote.
While another said, "If Trump dares to fire Fauci, the ONLY pandemic expert on the job, the only hope we have in the WH to prevent Trump from killing us all, we need to #FireTrump If Trump would’ve been impeached and removed, thousands of people would probably still be alive. #TrumpLiedPeopleDied"
"Firing Dr Fauci would be like firing Capt. Sullenberger over midtown Manhattan. There is no flower more delicate in all the world than the male ego and the most delicate flower of all belongs to Trump. Many Americans will suffer and die because he can’t listen to experts," wrote another.
"The President of the United States is retweeting calls for Dr Fauci (who has an 80% approval) to be fired. He's doing this because Dr Fauci told the truth. When honesty leaks out Trump Lashes Out. #FireTrump" another user added.
President Trump has also come under criticism for boasting about the television ratings of his daily coronavirus press briefings. The Republican has also had some friction with Fauci as the expert routinely corrects him publicly for any kind of misinformation Trump relays during the briefings.
Fauci, who has worked under four presidents over the span of 50 years, has emerged as one of the most reliable and authoritative voices on the novel coronavirus in the United States and beyond.
The 79-year-old has recently pressed Trump to extend the timeline for social distancing and was blunt in stating grim outlook of the possible toll of the pandemic in the country, saying it could be as high as 240,000. Fauci has also become a target for right-win commentators and bloggers, who are urging Trump to ease lockdown restrictions so that the economy can function smoothly again.