Tipsheet

Ron DeSantis: Fauci's Criticism Is a 'Badge of Honor'

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  July 28, 2026 8:00 AM

The release of Anthony Fauci's diaries revealed a lot. As we told you yesterday, Fauci knew he was lying about the origin of the COVID virus; he lied about not telling states to lock down; he lied about vaccines; and he colluded with the media to push his preferred narratives.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was a critic of Fauci and didn't follow his draconian and disastrous advice, was attacked by Fauci and the media, and Fauci wrote unfavorably about DeSantis in his diary.

Here's what Fauci wrote about DeSantis:

Governor DeSantis is a complete disgrace. He is blocking the local authorities from mandating masks in various locations, including schools. He is doing this while at the same time Florida is virtually on fire with surging cases. Approximately 20 percent of all the cases in the country right now are in Florida. When you add Florida with Texas you get about 40 percent of the cases in the country. At the same time he together with his Greek chorus of Rand Paul and other GOP members of Congress together with all of the stooges at Fox News (Carlson, Hannity, Ingraham) continues to actively criticize me and talk virtually every day about my being wrong on everything I say and then I should be fired. This is an obviously calculated plan of disparaging me and any other scientists (but focusing heavily on me) that speak up against their crazy strategy. I am convinced even more this is part of the total dystopia going on in certain elements of the country and it is all linked to "The Big Lie" involving the election and denial of January 6. I really am worried more about the country then myself since if this goes on I fear that our democracy is in dire danger."

He managed to work January 6 into that, too.

For his part, DeSantis—who was right about everything—called Fauci's criticism a badge of honor.

He did more good for people during COVID than Fauci.

It would have been so much worse if DeSantis and Abbott hadn't stood up.

They would have kept us under COVID restrictions for years. Heck, some places and events are still demanding masks.

And when DeSantis focused the vaccine on vulnerable populations, he was attacked. He did everything right, and the Left and the media tried to destroy him for it.