Here's Why Trump Questioned 'Flu Shots' During COVID-19 Pandemic, Ex-Medical Advisor Reveals

Dr. Anthony Fauci has disclosed an outrageous exchange with former President Donald Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Fauci's upcoming memoir On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service, Trump once told him, he didn't understand why he would have to get a flu shot if he didn't have the flu. This revelation sparked widespread backlash across social media.

An anti-Trump Twitter handle, @RepublicansagainstTrump, posted a video with the caption, "Trump told Dr. Fauci that he didn't understand why he would have to get a flu shot if he didn't have the flu. What a moron." Netizens were quick to express their disbelief and disappointment. A user, @TheWarMonitor, quipped, "I don't think he's ever lived in a place that most of us call Earth." Weighing in, @MarkoSilberhand, slammed, "Donald Trump was, is, and always will be the stupidest, most incompetent guy to ever get into the White House...#NeverAgainTrump!"

Meanwhile, a user, @AMK_PhD, accused both Trump and Fauci of being 'criminals', alleging "Fauci gave China the tech to bioengineer SARS2," while "Trump wanted to use COVID-19 to install himself as a dictator." Another user, @populistrevolt2, offered a more conspiratorial take, hinting that Fauci has come forth with the revelation to manipulate voters ahead of the elections in November. They penned, "Lies and nonsense…He knows he is in the crosshairs under a 2nd Trump term."

In his memoir, Fauci gives more details about Trump's unpredictable behavior during the pandemic. He recounts how Trump would "announce that he loved me and then scream at me on the phone." He alleged that the former president also accused him of costing the U.S. economy "one trillion fucking dollars," as per The New Republic. Additionally, he cited how Trump was a big fan of unproven treatments— bleach to kill the virus— and the constant pressure he levied on officials to reopen the country prematurely. 

One particular incident that stands out is Fauci's recollection of "the first experience [of] the brunt of the president's rage." On June 3, 2020, Trump reportedly called Fauci and began 'screaming' over the fact that Fauci had suggested immunity to coronaviruses typically lasts six months to a year, implying the need for booster shots. Despite his explanation that this was common for illnesses like the flu, "the president was irate, saying that I could not keep doing this to him. He said he loved me, but the country was in trouble, and I was making it worse,” Fauci stated, as per Yahoo! News. As Fauci prepares to promote his book which launched on June 18, he is likely to face continued vitriol from those who still harbor resentment towards him for his role in the pandemic response.