Fact-check: “Fauci never told anyone that schools should be closed”
Verdict: False (90% confidence)
Fauci's own diary entries from March 2020 record that he 'convinced' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to close NYC schools and that California Governor Newsom closed schools based on Fauci's TV appearances and a call with his chief of staff. Fauci also wrote official guidance on March 16, 2020 to 'close schools where there is community spread,' and in a June 2024 CBS interview stated that shutting down schools initially 'was the right thing.' The claim's absolute framing — 'never told anyone'…
This fact-check was conducted by SpinkillerAI, a non-partisan AI-powered accountability platform.
Related fact-checks
- Natalie Harp is a bone cancer survivor who only lived because Trump greenlit the right to try an experimental treatment… — Partly True
- Wild fires are burning in many areas — True
- Trump said tariffs cut the trade deficit with China — Misleading
- Certain areas in the US have more job opportunities for recent college graduates — True
- The United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world — Mostly True