Fact Check: Is Trump considering turning over Dr Fauci to the International Criminal Court?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the allegations of a COVID-19 cover-up by Dr Anthony Fauci, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump is considering turning over Fauci to the International Criminal Court for charges of crimes against humanity. The claim has sparked speculation, with calls for a fact-check.
Claim: Trump considering turning over Anthony Fauci to The Hague
The claim surfaced as a Facebook post, according to which Trump is seriously considering sending Fauci to The Hague to answer charges of crimes against humanity, and his top advisors are split on the issue.
The claim drew conflicting reactions, with many calling for Trump to move forward with turning Fauci over to the ICC, while a few others criticised the alleged development.
Meanwhile, some online users questioned whether the president is really considering such a move and called for a fact-check of the rumor.
Fact Check: The claim originated from a satire account
The claim, however, is false, as no evidence suggests that Trump is considering turning over Dr Fauci to the ICC.
There are no publicly available statements, announcements, social media posts, or press releases from the president or the White House about the alleged development.
If Trump were really considering such a move, prominent news media outlets would have widely covered it, making headlines, considering the controversy surrounding Dr Fauci.
Also, the claim was posted by a popular Facebook parody account called ‘America’s Last Line Of Defense,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘Nothing on this page is real.’
Earlier, the handle posted similar unverified claims about Fauci, including the ICC issuing an arrest warrant against him, which has been debunked by us.
Anthony Fauci faces lab leak allegations
Fauci is a prominent American infectious disease expert, well known for being the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for almost four decades.
He was also a key public health adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played a major role in shaping the US response regarding vaccines, mask guidance, and other strategies to control the spread of the virus.
The debate about the origins of the coronavirus heated up in May this year, with James Erdman, a former CIA officer, telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Fauci had a direct and "intentional" role in pushing the intelligence community to abandon the lab leak theory.
