Chris Hayes Puts Dr. Fauci on the Spot Over Cautious Criticism: ‘Is There a Donald Trump on Your Shoulder?’

MSNBC host Chris Hayes put Dr. Anthony Fauci on the spot over his always-implicit criticisms — in the form of explicit contradictions — of President Donald Trump, asking him “Is there a Donald Trump on your shoulder that you’re running this through?”

On Thursday night’s edition of All In, Dr. Fauci gave a lengthy interview during which he repeatedly contradicted Trump and other administration officials, but also diplomatically chalked those contradictions up to “confusion” or misinterpretation.

During one exchange, Hayes asked about the gulf between Dr. Robert Redfield’s comments about mask-wearing and Trump’s consistent anti-mask rhetoric.

“Let’s talk about what adds up to us suppressing the virus. It seems to me that the masks are one, right?” Hayes said. “Dr. Redfield testifying yesterday, even saying look, this is almost as important as a vaccine in terms of mitigation. You agree with them on that, correct?”

“Well I think there was some misinterpretation about that,” Fauci replied. “What Dr. Redfield was saying, that until we have a vaccine, masking, physical distancing, avoiding crowds is the public health proven way to go. I wouldn’t want to be comparing efficacy of a vaccine versus a mask. They are two independent ways that we want to synergize with each other.”

“So, I mean, as I’m talking to you, I almost want you to break the fourth wall and say…” Hayes began, then said, “Like, is there a Donald Trump on your shoulder that you’re running this through?”

Fauci shook his head and said “no” as Hayes continued.

“Because the president has said things, the president has said, he says a lot of people say masks don’t work, and he’s ridiculed people for wearing masks, and I guess my question to you is, like, the science does say that masks work, right?” Hayes said. “Like, this is really important that people wear masks, and when we see big crowded events of people not wearing masks, that’s not good?”

“Chris, I have been crystal clear for a long time,” Fauci said as he and Hayes let out slight laughs. “And what I’ve been saying, I don’t think there’s any ambiguity of what I’ve been saying. Masks are important. They’re effective. Combined it with physical distancing, avoiding crowds, and washing hands, and it works. End of story. It’s true. No question about that.”

Fauci’s response underscored the phenomenon Hayes was referencing, the dance in which Fauci freely and directly contradicts Trump on a consistent basis — such as on masks — but does not explicitly criticize Trump for, say, trashing people who wear masks.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.

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