Fauci met with Obama-era CDC director before pitching masks at nursing homes to mandate-wary Trump

Dr. Anthony Fauci declined at a Senate hearing Wednesday to confirm or clarify details about a meeting during the pandemic in which he, Obama-era Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden and others agreed to recommend to a wary President Trump austere and lockdown-type measures at nursing homes. 

"Meeting at Deb Birx home to hash out issues in preparation for TF meeting today (Saturday) at 4:00 PM. Tom Frieden comes down from NYC," reads a March 7, 2020, entry in the 1,100-plus pages of diary-like notes he took and that were released by Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Commitee, which held the hearing.

"We make decision to recommend that staff of all nursing homes and extended care facilities act as if they are infected and wear masks, wash hands, etc. in dealing with clients. Also, limit visits of family members, and if they do visit, they should do as the staff does," Fauci's note also reads.

The note refers to Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House COVID response coordinator; the Trump White House Coronavirus Task Force; and others in attendance including then-National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger and then-aide Olivia Troye. 

Committee member Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst attempted Wednesday to get Fauci to clarify and elaborate on the meeting including its exact date.

"Dr. Fauci, Dr. Deborah Bergs wrote in her book that you and President Obama's former CDC director were at a Saturday, March 14th. We're at a Saturday, March 14th. Yes, 2020 meeting at her home, two days before the president announced his 15 days to slow the spread effort. 

"Your now released diary said the meeting was a week before that. Dr. Burke said you all were trying to trap the president into having no other options. She wrote, "Your plan was to quote block any of the president's escape routes, so quote he'd have no choice but to agree to our flatten the Curve measures, yes or no, Dr. Fauci? Did you try to block or trap President Trump into the slow the spread, flatten the curve measures in March 2020?" 

Ernst seemed to be referring to Birx's book, "Silent Invasion: The Untold Story of the Trump Administration, Covid-19, and Preventing the Next Pandemic Before It's Too Late." 

Birx in the book refers to such a meeting but cites it as occurring March 20 and does not appear to include any information about a direct plan for Trump. 

Fauci pleaded his Fifth Amendment rights in not asking Ernst's question. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.