— Even amid an attempt by US President Donald Trump's aides to shift his focus back to coronavirus, he continues to hear from a wide range of associates — including the CEO of a far-right television network — who are undermining the administration's health experts and questioning their approach to the pandemic, people familiar with the conversations say.
Trump also continues to hear steady criticism of Fauci, who has resumed making television appearances after weeks off the national airwaves -- earning him more irritation from the President, according to the people familiar. A series of events earlier on Monday illustrated the dueling stream of voices influencing Trump as the outbreak continues to rage across the nation.
But as the day progressed, Trump heard from several others who reinforced a different message than the one being offered by the administration's health experts. His hawkish trade adviser Peter Navarro -- who recently published an op-ed in USA Today trashing Fauci without running it past the White House but was never formally reprimanded -- traveled alongside Trump to North Carolina, where the President broke with health experts by calling on governors to reopen.
Trump has cited OANN as a new favorite television channel after becoming frustrated with Fox News' willingness to interview Democrats. The channel, which is not distributed widely, often peddles wild conspiracies and false information. "I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her," Trump said before abruptly departing the briefing room.
kaitlancollins Wow... what a disaster for America!!!