(CNN) In a matter of just weeks, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci has become something of a comfort blanket for many Americans.

Amid the ups and downs of President Donald Trump's reactions to the coronavirus epidemic, Fauci has been a steady, calming and honest presence about the nature and extent of the threat to American lives.

Which brings me to something Fauci said about Trump in a remarkably candid interview with Science Magazine on Sunday. Here's the exchange (bolding mine):

Reporter: You've been in press conferences where things are happening that you disagree with, is that fair to say?

Fauci: Well, I don't disagree in the substance. It is expressed in a way that I would not express it, because it could lead to some misunderstanding about what the facts are about a given subject.

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