Donald Trump lambasts Anthony Fauci over COVID-19 response, calls him 'great promoter'

In a rare public outing, former US President Donald Trump unleashed sharp attacks on the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, demanded reparations from China where the disease was first discovered and condemned the probe into his finances. While speaking in Greenville, North Carolina as the Republican Party convention of the state, Trump also hinted towards contesting in the next presidential elections in 2024. Denouncing Fauci’s frequent television appearances, former US President called the medical expert, “not a great doctor but a great promoter.”

“But he’s been wrong on almost every issue and he was wrong on Wuhan and the lab also,” Trump said about Fauci.

Trump also called on China to pay at least $US10 trillion in reparations to the United States and the rest of the world for its own handling of the novel coronavirus. According to him, the nations should cancel their debt to Beijing. While Trump’s public appearance had all the factors that he included in his traditional campaign rallies, North Carolina republican party chairman Michael Whatley introduced Trump as “our president.” The former US President also criticised the criminal investigation launched by the New York attorney general’s office. He said it was “the ultimate fishing expedition” and the latest move by democrats to attack him.

“It’s been a five-year witch hunt, hoax after hoax,” said Trump. “They’ll never stop until November of 2024.”

Trump: 'We’re going to take back our country'  

Hinting at election bid in the future, Donald Trump said, “We are going to win North Carolina’s all-important US Senate race and lay the groundwork to make sure Republicans carry the great state of North Carolina in a year I look forward to 2024. We are going to take back our country and take it back to a level that is very good for our country and our citizens. We cannot let bad things happen to our country and bad bad things are happening to us perhaps like never before. I stand before you today confident that the people of North Carolina will decisively reject Joe Biden and the radical Democrats,” he reportedly added.

IMAGE: AP