Fauci Draws Rebuke for Claim That Attacking Him is ‘Attacking Science’

Susan Walsh/Getty Images

Dr. Anthony Fauci drew rebuke on Wednesday for his claim in an interview that attacking him was akin to “attacking science.”

He made the comment in an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, calling the criticism “very dangerous” and referring to himself in the third person, saying, “If you are trying to get at me as a public health official and scientist, you’re really attacking not only Dr. Anthony Fauci, you are attacking science. And anybody that looks at what is going on clearly sees that. You have to be asleep not to see that.”

The remark drew fire into Wednesday evening from critics on social media.

An attack on me is an attack on science itself. https://t.co/u4qEMzqY1a

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 9, 2021

“…you’re really attacking not only Dr. Anthony Fauci, you are attacking science…”

Only a sociopathic narcissist speaks of themselves in the third person and considers themselves the final say on ‘science.’

Fauci should die in prison then be buried under the place.

— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) June 9, 2021

Ummm… errr… no.
Fauci: “when you attack Dr. Fauci, you are attacking science.” https://t.co/VWHeemTLMO

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 9, 2021

fauci equating criticism of him with “attacks on science” is especially bad spin in the midst of the lab-leak theory being revisited. that theory was unfairly ghettoized for a year because of assertions of scientific authority like the lancet letter organized by peter daszak

— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) June 9, 2021

“Le Science, C’est moi” – Dr Fauci

— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) June 9, 2021

Fauci comes off horribly in this. He comes off like an angry, petty tyrant who’s upset that he’s no longer a dictator ruling the country under the guise of everything he said being “fundamentally based on science.” pic.twitter.com/7yQwdW2w1m

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) June 9, 2021

That’s right – he’s the God of science – Don’t question God Fauci’s decrees and scripture as you are attacking God! ? https://t.co/o0iw5PXYlW

— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) June 9, 2021

Beyond the dangerous arrogance and pomposity of proclaiming “anyone who criticizes me is attacking Science” — thus placing himself off-limits from questioning — he *admitted* he purposely issued false, anti-science, politicized claims, such as telling people not to wear masks: https://t.co/TghpTiKHdj

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 9, 2021

Seriously, this is a really unhelpful attitude for him to take. Science involves debate. It's not an attack on the very idea of Science to question Fauci, who has indeed been wrong and evasive on some things.

— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) June 9, 2021