Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed sharp personal criticism from Dr. Anthony Fauci revealed in the former health official’s pandemic-era journal, saying Monday that the remarks only reinforced his confidence in the decisions Florida made during the COVID-19 crisis.
The journal entries, which were made public after being discovered on National Institutes of Health servers and turned over to Senate Republicans, include harsh assessments of the Republican governor as disagreements over pandemic policy intensified in 2021.
During an appearance on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom, host Bill Hemmer reminded DeSantis that Florida took a markedly different approach from many other states after the initial weeks of the pandemic. Hemmer pointed to the state’s decisions to reopen restaurants and bars, keep schools operating, and resist prolonged shutdowns.
Hemmer then read directly from Fauci’s journal, including an August 2021 entry that described DeSantis as “a total jerk” who was “causing…people to die in his home state.” A second entry written just four days later labeled the Florida governor “a complete disgrace.”
Although Hemmer suggested the insults likely did not bother him personally, he asked DeSantis how he viewed Fauci’s portrayal of events during the pandemic.
The governor responded by saying he viewed Fauci’s criticism as validation rather than condemnation.
“To the contrary,” DeSantis said. “I think those are badges of honor to have him attacking me.”
DeSantis argued that Fauci’s criticism was not limited to private journal entries but also played out publicly throughout the pandemic. He recalled that after Florida issued an order requiring schools to remain open, Fauci publicly criticized the state’s approach.
According to DeSantis, Fauci also appeared on Florida television stations to argue that the state’s policies were misguided while advocating for greater local government authority to impose COVID-related mandates. DeSantis said his administration blocked local governments from implementing those mandates.
The governor further pointed to criticism Florida received for allowing beaches to remain open and for permitting Memorial Day gatherings during the pandemic. He defended those decisions by saying outdoor recreation is part of everyday life in the Sunshine State.
DeSantis also claimed Fauci was comparatively quiet regarding the nationwide protests that followed the death of George Floyd, arguing that the former top health official focused criticism on Florida while not applying the same public scrutiny elsewhere.
“To me it was clear pretty early on within probably a couple of months that he was practicing political science rather than evidence-based medicine,” DeSantis said.
However, the article notes that Fauci did publicly address concerns surrounding the George Floyd demonstrations during a 2020 interview with ABC News.
According to the report, Fauci acknowledged that many Americans wanted to participate in the political process but urged people to avoid gathering in large crowds whenever possible. He warned that the demonstrations posed risks both to those protesting and to individuals attempting to manage the events.
“It’s a danger to the people who are trying to control the demonstration,” Fauci said. “And it’s a danger to the people who are demonstrating. So at the end of the day, it is a risky procedure.”
When asked whether the same guidance applied to then-President Donald Trump’s plans to resume campaign rallies, Fauci answered that it did.
“I am consistent,” Fauci said. “I stick by what I say.”
