Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender's new book Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost, revealed several shocking things happening behind the scenes of the COVID-19 crisis in 2020.
One exchange between Dr. Deborah Birx and senior Donald Trump adviser Scott Atlas got heated when she informed him that he was killing Americans.
The story began after the president decided that he liked what x-ray doctor Scott Atlas was saying on Fox News.
Trump hired him despite the dangerous fringe theories he spread on television because, unlike Drs. Birx and Anthony Fauci, Atlas would tell Trump whatever he wanted to hear.
"This guy's an expert!" Trump said, according to Bender's book.
"Atlas's controversial theories and aggressive behavior quickly became one of the few things that could unite Trump World," wrote Bender. "Fauci complained to colleagues that Atlas was a 'total nutcase.'"
The book described White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany telling her communications staff to stay away from quoting him.
"I'm worried he's a little fast and loose with the facts," she told the team, according to Bender.
Bender writes that Atlas seemed to have particular contempt for Dr. Birx, as he "attacked her suggestions on social distancing guidelines in emails he would blast across the administration, and shouted at her in private meetings."
Bender wrote of one meeting where Birx was concerned about Labor Day and an increase in COVID-19 cases in the fall.
"You just want to shut down the country!" Atlas shouted at her. "I speak for the president, and we are not shutting down the country!"
"That's fine, but just know that you are killing people," she told the room. A silence came over the stunned room.
"Well," Jared Kushner said. "It's good to have a robust debate."
Bender appeared on MSNBC Tuesday to talk about his book where Nicolle Wallace read excerpts. See the video below:
Bender bookwww.youtube.com
