Trump says Fauci will be allowed to testify before Senate but not the House: 'The House is a bunch of Trump-haters'

• After blocking the nation's lead infectious disease expert and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force from testifying before Congress in hearings about the administration's pandemic response, President Donald Trump took a half measure to reverse course.
• Before leaving to tour an N-95 mask facility in Arizona, Trump told reporters that Dr. Anthony Fauci will be able to testify before the Republican-controlled Senate, but not the Democratic-majority House.
• "The House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters," Trump said. "They put every Trump hater on the committee, the same old stuff ... But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate, and he looks forward to doing that."
• A leaked memo from the White House on Monday stated "For the month of May, no Task Force members, or key deputies of Task Force members, may accept hearing invitations."
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On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told reporters that Dr. Anthony Fauci will testify before Republican-controlled Senate, but not the Democratic-majority House.

Last week, the Trump administration blocked a request from Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, from testifying before a House panel.

A leaked memo on Monday extended the muzzle to all members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, stating, "For the month of May, no Task Force members, or key deputies of Task Force members, may accept hearing invitations."

Before taking off on Air Force One to visit an N-95 mask manufacturing facility in Arizona, Trump addressed reporters on the matter, maintaining his stance blocking Fauci from testifying before the Democratic-majority House.

"The House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters," Trump said. "They put every Trump hater on the committee, the same old stuff ... But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate, and he looks forward to doing that."

Previously, a White House official did not rule out Fauci testifying before the Senate in a comment to the Washington Post.

"It's not muzzling, it's not blocking, it's simply trying to ensure we're able to balance the need for oversight, the legitimate need for oversight, with their responsibilities to handle COVID-19 work at their respective agencies and departments," the official said.

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