Donald Trump: 'Fauci has nothing to do with NFL football'
President Trump has voiced his disagreement with Dr. Fauci's assessment that the NFL may not play football this fall, tweeting his support of the league's "very safe and controlled opening" while also saying he "won't be watching" if players kneel during the national anthem.
"Tony Fauci has nothing to do with NFL Football," Trump tweeted. "They are planning a very safe and controlled opening. However, if they don’t stand for our National Anthem and our Great American Flag, I won’t be watching!!!"
Dr. Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the face of the White House COVID-19 task force, believes that for a football season to be possible, the NFL and NCAA would need to embrace the "bubble" format that will be used by the NBA and NHL in the upcoming months.
"Unless players are essentially in a bubble - insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day - it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall," Fauci said. "If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year."
Trump's public dispute of Fauci's statement is unsurprising, as he is determined to push the narrative that everything is returning to normal even as many experts have wanted of a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall. Trump also made sure to include his disapproval of players kneeling during the national anthem, as he has made no secret of his disdain for anyone disrespecting the flag.
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