Trump also claimed he had no idea who bestowed a Presidential Commendation on Anthony Fauci.
Er ... doesn't the title "Presidential Commendation" give Donald Trump a hint? In a nine-minute interview with Megyn Kelly, Trump tries mightily to shift any blame for COVID-19 policies to "Ron DeSanctimonious," claim once again that he had no control over Anthony Fauci because of his supposed civil-service status, and demands credit for pandemic policies that most of his party now despises.
I bet I know who gave the Presidential Commendation to Anthony Fauci -- noted non-President Ron DeSanctimonius.
David Strom points out what I have repeatedly pointed out: Trump is lying. He criticizes "Shutdown Ron" for shutting down, put he personally demanded that Shutdown Ron shutdown.
Personally.
He's angry at "the Meatball" for briefly obeying him.
Much of this is erroneous, if not flat-out falsehoods. DeSantis was one of the early GOP governors to push back against Fauci, for instance, and was reopening Florida only two weeks later than Henry McMaster did in South Carolina and much sooner than most other states. At that time, though, Trump criticized both men and Brian Kemp as well -- after Fauci and Deborah Birx pushed him to change his mind. In fact, Trump declared that he might be forced to intervene in Georgia and overrule Kemp:
Last week, after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced a plan allowing businesses like nail salons and bowling alleys to reopen, Trump initially told him on a telephone call he supported the plan.But after members of Trump's coronavirus task force -- principally Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator -- cautioned that Georgia's reopening plans rebutted the federal guidelines Trump had unveiled a few day earlier, he reversed course.
"I told the governor of Georgia Brian Kemp that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase one guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia," Trump said during a news conference last week.
He suggested he would intervene if he saw "something totally egregious."
RedSteeze points out that Trump previously claimed that he, Trump, had the only authority to shut down or reopen states, despite his current claim that it was entirely left to the governors:
Trump claims that he allowed governors to do whatever they wanted.
And yet... Trump's White House wrote to "Ron DeSanctimonious" directing him to take maximalist shutdown and mandate measures:
In 2021, Trump's White House wrote DeSantis a letter urging that "aggressive mitigation must be used" in Florida, including "uniform implementation" -- so mandates--of masks and "strict physical distancing." The Trump administration said this months after DeSantis had already lifted restrictions on businesses and restaurants in the state and banned fines for not wearing a mask. The Trump administration also urged DeSantis--in January 2021--to "increase both statewide and local public mitigation. Increase communication around the importance of personal mitigation with masking, physical distancing, and avoiding family gatherings" and advised "active and aggressive immunization."
Trump hasn't just lied about his coronavirus response record. He has projected his failures onto DeSantis. He smeared one of the governors who ultimately fought against restrictions, even though he urged DeSantis to reinstitute them, and is now denying that he did that, with MAGA grifters running cover for Trump.
A real leader doesn't lie about his mistakes like this. He doesn't blame other people and cower behind an army of social media sycophants, dodging debates where he would be held accountable.
Trump will probably claim he knew nothing about that. And maybe he didn't -- because instead of doing his job, he was raging on Twitter and posturing as some kind of covid hero.
On the other hand, when Georgia governor Brian Kemp gave an order that some restaurants, gyms, and spas could open, Trump publicly rebuked him and said "it's just too soon."
That was shortly before Ron DeSanctimonious ordered the beaches to be opened.
Trump was not a bystander in this -- he was actively joining Fauci in demanding that all governors follow Fauci's rules.
Once again, the lazy Twitter-obsessed narcissist Trump got played by the Deep State I keep being told he will totally bring to heel in his next term.
Trump also continues to insist that "the vaccine was one of the greatest things I've ever done." Although he deploys the usual Trump tactic of claiming that even his enemies are saying that. He's not saying it, you understand -- just all these other people are saying the vaccine is the greatest thing he's ever done, and "saved 100 million people."
Other people are saying that -- certainly not Trump, who says it all the time. But he's just quoting other people
Then he lies and says that Florida had a vaccine mandate. It did not.
He is obsessive and pathological.
Ron DeSantis actually pushed back against Fauci with real-world actions instead of whining about how much he wanted the country to be open, while empowering Fauci and Birx and Wallensky to shut the country down.
And for that -- for doing the things that Trump said he wanted to do, but didn't -- DeSantis must be destroyed. No matter what the cost, Trump's ego must be kept inflated.
Here's the Homophobic Ron DeSanctimonius, pushing more of his homophobia. We know that the very, very gay friendly Donald Trump would never engage in this level of homophobia and transphobia.