President Trump denied rumors that he is considering replacing Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that the president was discussing removing Azar after a New York Times report earlier this month said he criticized the Trump administration’s lack of aggression in its early response to the coronavirus pandemic. A White House spokesman called the speculation “irresponsible and a distraction from our whole-of-government response to COVID-19.” Trump further pushed back on the notion Sunday.
“Reports that H.H.S. Secretary @AlexAzar is going to be ‘fired’ by me are Fake News,” he tweeted. “The Lamestream Media knows this, but they are desperate to create the perception of chaos & havoc in the minds of the public. They never even called to ask. Alex is doing an excellent job!”
Reports that H.H.S. Secretary @AlexAzar is going to be “fired” by me are Fake News. The Lamestream Media knows this, but they are desperate to create the perception of chaos & havoc in the minds of the public. They never even called to ask. Alex is doing an excellent job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
Prior to Trump’s denial, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway called the reports “disappointing.”
“What I find curious and a bit disappointing is every time I read a story about a personnel change these days, it has to do with somebody who has oversight over the pandemic,” she said on Saturday. “And it’s very unfortunate to me that you have some people wishing or willing that Dr. Fauci will be silent, or Dr. Birx will quit, and they will no longer be around, or the secretary of the HHS will be replaced in the middle of this president dealing with a global pandemic.”
