White House social media guru mocks ‘Dr. Faucet’ as feud erupts with trusted pandemic doctor

The gloves are off with Dr. Fauci.

Even as coronavirus spirals out of control, a top White House social media official has posted a crude caricature depicting the trusted pandemic doc as a dictatorial “Dr. Faucet” flushing the nation’s economic recovery down the drain.

“If I’m going to disagree with a colleague, such as yourself, it’s done publicly — and not cowardly, behind journalists with leak,” wrote Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff for communications.

The nasty caricature shows a goofy-looking Fauci pouring cold water on Uncle Sam with supposed proposals for “INDEFINITE LOCKDOWN!” and “No school this fall!”

“Shut him off!” the cartoon declares.

The offending cartoon was drawn by Ben Garrison, an artist who is a favorite of the far right. He was barred from a White House meeting of pro-Trump social media luminaries because some of his work includes anti-Semitic messaging.

President Donald Trump on Monday said he had a “good relationship” with Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, despite evidence of a growing rift between the two men as coronavirus cases surge in several states.

“I get along with him very well,” Trump told reporters during an event at the White House. “I like him, personally.”

The conciliatory tone was a notable shift after White House officials over the weekend circulated to reporters a dossier of guidance Fauci had made early in the pandemic that was subsequently reversed.

That effort came after Trump publicly criticized Fauci in a pair of television interviews, and an interview published last weekend by the Financial Times in which Fauci said he had not briefed the president in more than two months, and hadn’t seen him in person at the White House since early June.