A CNN panel discussion erupted into a heated exchange Thursday after former Trump White House aide Caroline Sunshine launched a blistering attack on Dr. Anthony Fauci, calling the former public health official a “textbook sociopath” and saying he “should be in a mental institution.”
The confrontation unfolded during CNN NewsNight as panelists debated renewed Republican scrutiny of Fauci following his appearances before Congress and the possibility of additional legal action after diary entries from his tenure leading the nation’s COVID-19 response were made public.
Author Leigh McGowan argued that Fauci was being unfairly blamed for decisions she said ultimately rested with President Donald Trump during the pandemic.
“Well, he started at the behest of the Trump administration; we should point that out,” McGowan said. “He did not have the authority to do any of the things people are claiming he is responsible for. He didn’t shut down the country, Trump chose to. He didn’t shut down the schools. Trump did. He didn’t mandate masks. Trump did.”
McGowan went on to describe Fauci as “being used as a scapegoat” and called the renewed attention surrounding him “a lawless political stunt.”
“You shouldn’t be tarring and feathering someone that has been in six administrations, whose doing nothing but being a devoted servant of our public health,” she said.
Sunshine forcefully rejected that argument, responding with sharp criticism of the longtime infectious disease expert.
“Forget about prosecuting him, the guy should be in a mental institution!” Sunshine said. “He’s a textbook sociopath. I mean, DSM 5 level sociopath running our pandemic response, low empathy, ability to inflict pain on innocents, narcissism.”
McGowan immediately challenged the remarks.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
As multiple panelists began speaking over one another, CNN host Abby Phillip stepped in to restore order while questioning Sunshine’s characterization of Fauci.
“What are you talking about?” Phillip asked before pressing further. “Are you suggesting that he should be in a mental institution for having an ego, which I think would characterize just about every single person in Washington?”
Sunshine defended her comments by referencing Fauci’s diary entries and mocking passages discussing media attention he received during the pandemic.
Former Trump White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews then joined the discussion, acknowledging that Fauci’s public appearances during the pandemic created frustration within the Trump administration.
“Caroline, I worked as Trump’s deputy press secretary during Covid so I actually worked – I will acknowledge, was it very frustrating working in the White House press office and him being on a magazine cover or doing an interview on TV where he’s talking ill about the White House and its Covid response? Yes, that was annoying,” Matthews said.
However, Matthews argued against placing sole responsibility for the pandemic response on Fauci.
“But the thing is, then trying to scapegoat him and say that it’s all his fault? We were dealing with a novel virus. This was a once-in-a-lifetime generational pandemic. And so we were all figuring it out as we went on,” she said.
When Sunshine interrupted by saying, “Not him, he was busy reading his own press clips!” Matthews responded by questioning whether Fauci was unique in seeking media attention.
“And you don’t think that Donald Trump and all those other senators on the hill are just as narcissistic? I mean come on, those guys would slit someone’s throat to go on Fox News,” Matthews said.
Sunshine then accused her fellow panelists of having been “in love” with Fauci before Phillip shifted the discussion.
“Maybe he was drinking his own Kool-Aid, but you know who was pouring the Kool-Aid as well, Caroline? Donald Trump – let’s play the clips,” Phillip said.
The program then aired archival footage of Trump praising Fauci in 2020 as “a major television star,” “so professional,” and “talented.”
After the clips concluded, Phillip returned to the central issue of the discussion.
“Now, to be honest, I don’t care about any of that,” Phillip said. “I think it’s totally fair that Trump was praising him. I think it is a little embarrassing that he loved his press so much, but my question is, what is he being prosecuted for?”
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