During a town hall on CNN on Thursday, 2020 Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden declined to say whether he trusts CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield and FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn. Biden also praised scientists at the CDC and FDA, but said President Donald Trump “has tried to push things through and put a lot of pressure on them.”
Biden said, “I don’t trust the president on vaccines. I trust Dr. Fauci. If Fauci says a vaccine is safe, I’d take the vaccine. We should listen to the scientists, not to the president, number one.”
Later, host Anderson Cooper asked, “You said you trust Fauci. Do you trust the head of the FDA — the current head of the FDA, the current head of the CDC, and would you keep them in their positions?”
Biden responded, “Well, it’s premature for me to say that. All I know is that the rank and file people, the scientists in each of those agencies are solid and they’re serious. But you’ve seen how the president has tried to push things through and put a lot of pressure on them. I’m impressed by the head of the CDC now standing up and saying, Mr. President, wearing this mask is going to save more lives than the vaccine between now and the end of the year.”
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