Trump Mocks Fauci Over First Pitch, Calls Him a Phony
Trump attacks former top health official Anthony Fauci over a ceremonial first pitch, calling him the worst thrower he has seen and questioning his honesty.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump attacked Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, ridiculing a ceremonial baseball throw and calling the longtime official a phony.
The post cast a light moment from a baseball diamond as evidence of a larger character flaw, tying athletic failure to broader questions of credibility. The message carried a video attachment showing the throw that Trump called the worst first pitch he had seen in years.
“He was a terrible athlete, and this is, by far, the worst throw I have ever seen in years of watching first pitches,” Trump said in the post.
The remarks land amid renewed scrutiny of Fauci, whose personal diaries from the pandemic era have drawn attention over the gap between his private views and public statements during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to washingtonpost.com. That contrast has fueled debate over how public-health leaders communicated risk to Americans, according to forbes.com.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “Fauci told everyone he was a great basketball player, so I assumed that he would be easily able to throw a ball to Home Plate. It turned out that he was a phony on that, just like he was on everything else (see below!). He was a terrible “athlete,” and this is, by far, the worst throw I have ever seen in years of watching first pitches! Trump” on July 28, 2026 at 8:35 PM ET.
This is Trump’s 25th message released today. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 25 of his 482 posts over the last 30 days assigned to the topic “Uncategorized.”
Fauci led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades and became the public face of the federal pandemic response before stepping down. He has defended his record on masking, distancing and vaccines, arguing that guidance shifted as scientists learned more, according to cbsnews.com. His allies have pushed back on claims that his private notes undercut his public advice, according to celinegounder.com.
The clash matters because Fauci remains a lightning rod for a debate that touches nearly every American household. Families weighed his guidance on school closures, business shutdowns and vaccination during the deadliest phase of the pandemic. The renewed attention keeps that reckoning alive years after the emergency ended.
This is not the first time Trump has singled out Fauci for personal criticism. The two clashed repeatedly during the pandemic over the pace of reopening and the reliability of federal projections, according to wfin.com. The pattern of public sparring has continued long after both men left their pandemic-era roles.
No formal decision or proceeding follows from the post, and no date for any related action has been announced. The exchange remains a rhetorical dispute rather than a policy or legal step.
Ritual first pitches have humbled powerful figures before this latest jab. Presidents from William Howard Taft in 1910 through modern occupants of the office made the toss a fixture of Opening Day, and errant throws became instant fodder for critics. Officials who bounced the ball or sailed it wide often drew days of mockery, a reminder that a single wobbly pitch can outlast the reputation it briefly dents.
Assigned topic: Uncategorized.
This is Trump’s 25th Truth Social post today, out of 25 total today.
On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Trump’s last post was 44 minutes ago.
This post is not part of a thread.
NewsFindr Chart Maker
Photo by Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Zenger analysis
Photo by Zenger analysis