Critics Dunk on Fauci For Taking Off Mask at Baseball Game: ‘Should Be Setting a Better Example’

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White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci came under fire this week after he was pictured without a mask on at a baseball game.

Fauci, who threw the first pitch at the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, was also photographed by AP and USA Today in the audience without a mask.

“Dr. Fauci should be setting a better example,” responded journalist Yashar Ali, while MMA fighter Jake Shields commented, “Good thing Fauci wears his mask and stays 6 feet apart.”

Dr. Fauci should be setting a better example.

Photo: Alex Brandon/AP pic.twitter.com/qUhxQ4nBTx

— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) July 24, 2020

Good thing Fauci wears his mask and stays 6 feet apart pic.twitter.com/idvVmolylY

— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) July 24, 2020

Others called Fauci a “fraud,” and accused him of making a mockery of the coronavirus pandemic mask recommendations.

I have been generally supportive of Dr. Fauci, but I think it’s worth asking him about mask usage and how he personally uses one and under what circumstances. One of these photos is AP, one is USA Today. https://t.co/2ctFdhOPcrhttps://t.co/w2Vm45mL4i pic.twitter.com/EjcnQPmbx3

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) July 24, 2020

Anthony Fauci is the biggest fraud in American history. https://t.co/ZHQjEQrk2f

— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) July 24, 2020

When he thinks the cameras are off, Fauci makes a mockery of his “social distancing” recommendations and proceeds to brush off his own mask advocacy.

“Do as I say, not as I do”
h/t @Ronald_Spitzer pic.twitter.com/zeBHLjlZST

— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) July 24, 2020

Masks don’t work. Dr. Fauci said this and his conduct seems to confirm he still understands that there is no science that masks work to contain #coronavirus. https://t.co/4Zz6JOVOy3

— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) July 24, 2020

The element of this episode (which the news media will either ignore/excuse) that might be MOST outrageous is that fans are fully barred from baseball games, partly due to him. And while season ticket holders are at home, here is King Fauci acting like the whole thing is just BS! https://t.co/8u43m5bZQj

— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) July 24, 2020

ladies & gentlemen, i regret to inform you Dr. Fauci is CANCELED https://t.co/8vjjnxbCRg

— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) July 24, 2020

Fauci wants to kill MEMAW. https://t.co/k6hwbEqWWt

— Nick Searcy, INTERNATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) July 24, 2020

i wonder if anyone in the media can ask dr. fauci why the general population should have to abide by rules that he can’t even follow himself. https://t.co/QJCTXEPUnq

— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) July 24, 2020

Screw #Fauci and his elite handlers that want to muzzle everyone. He’s the classic “do as I say not as I do” guy. A liar & snake oil salesman. If you’re still scared of C19 it’s not too late to educate yourself. The more knowledge you have, the less fearful you’ll be. #FireFauci pic.twitter.com/Wht2def1zR

— Matthew Loop (@matthewloop) July 24, 2020

Some social media users defended Fauci, however, claiming he was with family members and that he was drinking water.

Do we know who is with him? If these are family members, for example, he’s outdoors and socially distanced, so he doesn’t need a mask.
And he may have had a test that was negative. https://t.co/hQy0bYntyQ

— Debra J. Saunders (@debrajsaunders) July 24, 2020

Attacking Dr. Fauci for wearing his mask down while sitting next to his wife and brother in an empty stadium is a seriously bad take. https://t.co/DDbhpbkPfk

— Conrad Close (@conradclose) July 24, 2020

There’s a open bottle of water visible between his legs

You’re allowed to remove a mask to have a drink of water

Since you call yourself an “investigative journo”, maybe you should do some investigation into photos before you tweet about them https://t.co/vV2XYS1q04

— The Hardy Report Podcast (@EdwardTHardy) July 24, 2020

On Friday, Fauci criticized young people who haven’t been wearing masks, declaring, “You don’t realize, probably innocently, that you are inadvertently propagating the outbreak… You are becoming part of the problem because, even if you get infected without any symptoms, it is likely that you are going to infect someone else.”

In an interview with Fox News, Fauci called the criticism “mischievous” and explained he was sitting with his wife and a friend, and removed his mask to take a drink of water.