Dr. Anthony Fauci Says He’s ‘Not Being Muzzled’ After Report on Coronavirus Response

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and one of the people involved in the coronavirus response, denied tonight he’s being “muzzled” by the White House.

Fauci appeared on MSNBC tonight and spoke with Chris Matthews about the U.S. response to the virus amid growing concerns of it spreading (there’s another reported case of it in California with unknown origin).

There’s been some question of whether Fauci was being “muzzled,” particularly after this report in the New York Times:

At the meeting with Mr. Pence on Thursday, Dr. Fauci described the seriousness of the public health threat facing Americans, saying that “this virus has adapted extremely well to human species” and noting that it appeared to have a higher mortality rate than influenza.

“We are dealing with a serious virus,” Dr. Fauci said.

Dr. Fauci has told associates that the White House had instructed him not to say anything else without clearance.

Matthews asked Fauci about this tonight. Fauci said, “That was completely misconstrued, Chris. I’m not being muzzled. Everybody who gets on shows like this, you have a normal clearance. I was cleared here and here I am talking to you.”

He appeared on Fox Business Network in the same time slot tonight.

You can watch above, via MSNBC.