Ron Paul called on President Donald Trump's administration Thursday to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top coronavirus advisor, after he lowered the nation's death estimates for the coronavirus.

The former Texas Republican representative accused Fauci of providing 'bad information' when he said Thursday that he expects about 60,000 people will die from the outbreak, down from 100,000 to 200,000, but only if social distancing continues and effectively slows the spread of the disease.

Paul, speaking on his program, 'Ron Paul Liberty Report,' unleashed his criticism on Fauci, saying he was using the virus as an excuse to get 'total control' of the American people.

Ron Paul called on President Donald Trump's administration Thursday to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top coronavirus advisor

Paul pressured Trump to remove Fauci, after the nation's leading expert on the coronavirus lowered the country's death estimates for the illness. Trump is pictured speaking at a coronavirus task force briefing Thursday

Paul accused Fauci of providing 'bad information' when he said Thursday that he expects about 60,000 people will die from the outbreak, down from more than 100,000, but only if social distancing continues and effectively slows the spread of the disease

'He should be fired, but if you don't do it in the literal sense, the people have to fire him,' Paul said. 'They have to fire him by saying 'he's a fraud.''

Paul, 84, who has run three presidential campaigns since 1988, is also a physician, and has previously written about 'the coronavirus hoax.'

He expanded on his skepticism in Thursday's program, telling viewers that the outbreak was being used by the government to infringe on the liberties of Americans.

His remarks come after his son Rand, a Kentucky Republican, became the only member of the U.S. Senate to test positive for the infection.

So far, there have been more than 436,500 confirmed cases in the U.S. of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 15,674 deaths.

There have been more than 436,500 confirmed cases in the U.S. of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 15,674 deaths

A look at how the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has escalated over time

A look at how the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has escalated over time

'The plan that they (government officials) have is when things are getting back to normal, people can return to their work, and they do things, and go to the golf course if they get a stamp of approval,' Paul said.

'Your liberties are there if you get a proper stamp from the government,' he added.

'It's an excuse to have total control over the people.'

Fauci told NBC's Today Thursday of the positive results containment measures were having on the outbreak.

'The real data are telling us that it is highly likely that we're having a definite positive effect by this mitigation things that we're doing – this physical separation – so I believe we are gonna see a downturn in that,' Fauci told the news outlet.

'And it looks more like the 60,000 than the 100,000 to 200,000,' said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci did not say what model he used to base his new estimates.

However, his remarks did come as a University of Washington model used by the White House also predicts fewer people may die from exposure to the infection.