U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) reacted to reports that the Trump White House is muzzling medical experts as part of its continued botched response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Trying to censor our public health experts is idiocy,” said Rep. Pascrell. “In any crisis, transparency is paramount to preventing panic and the spread of misinformation. Dr. Anthony Fauci is among the top medical minds in the world today. He and other medical and scientific professionals should be calling the shots in addressing this crisis, not Trump or his loyalists. Trump has openly said his first priority is protecting stocks and bonds. He has elevated incompetents above scientific professionals. That doddering press conference yesterday demonstrated Trump’s total unfitness. Let me be as direct as I can. The White House’s bungling response to coronavirus is itself a public health crisis that may threaten millions of American lives.