Trump Backs Into Slamming Fauci and Casting Doubts on Masks After Biden Challenges Him on Saving Lives

President Donald Trump first endorsed wearing masks in the first presidential debate, but then abruptly shifted gears after 2020 challenger Joe Biden noted that one projection said more than 100,000 American lives could be saved by the end of the year by increasing mask wearing.

When moderator Chris Wallace brought up the contentious issue that has seen Trump publicly disagree with his own public health experts on the White House coronavirus task force, Trump said they were “okay” and pulled out a mask from his jacket pocket and said he wears one occasionally.

After Biden called out a recent IHME estimate that said 200,000 more Americans could die from the coronavirus by the end of the year, and that that number could be halved if people would just wear masks, Trump pivoted.

“Masks make a big difference. If we just wore masks between now — and social distanced between now and January, we would probably save up to 100,000 lives,” Biden noted.

“They’ve also said the opposite,” Trump said, in one of his innumerable interruptions.

“No serious person said the opposite,” Biden shot back.

“Dr. Fauci. Dr. Fauci said the opposite. He said very strongly…” Trump began, throwing his top infectious disease expert under the bus. “He said masks are not good. Then he said he changed his mind.”

When Wallace pointed to the number of mass rallies — both outdoor and indoor — Trump has been holding, where masks are rarely worn and there is no social distancing, Trump defended himself by interrupting Biden and boasting about his crowd sizes.

“Because nobody will show up,” Trump claimed, ignoring the public risk of mass gatherings. “It’s true, nobody shows up to his rallies.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.