Donald Trump attacks Anthony Fauci over wary assessment of NFL season

Donald Trump’s message to Dr Anthony Fauci on Friday was clear: stay in your lane.

One day after the US’s top infectious disease expert said it may be impossible for the NFL and college football to safely go forward with their seasons in 2020, Trump clapped back at the most visible member of his White House coronavirus taskforce, expressed confidence that pro football would happen as scheduled and vowed to tune out if any players refuse to stand for the national anthem.

Related: 'Football may not happen this year': Fauci casts doubt on NFL in 2020

“Tony Fauci has nothing to do with NFL Football,” the US president tweeted. They are planning a very safe and controlled opening. However, if they don’t stand for our National Anthem and our Great American Flag, I won’t be watching!!!”

On Thursday, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that football teams would need to emulate the “bubble” protocols adopted by the NBA and MLS in order to proceed. Even then, he said, it may not be safe given the inherent full-contact nature of a sport Fauci has described as a “perfect setup” to spread Covid-19.

“Unless players are essentially in a bubble, insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day, it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci said. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.”

NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills said the league would have a “comprehensive and rapid-result testing program” in a statement to CNN, saying: “Dr Fauci has identified the important health and safety issues we and the NFL Players Association, together with our joint medical advisors, are addressing to mitigate the health risk to players, coaches and other essential personnel.”

The NFL players’ union has reportedly informed the players they could expect to be tested roughly every three days for the coronavirus and isolated if they test positive.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been steadfast in claiming it will start the regular season in front of fans as scheduled on 10 September when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. All 32 teams have conducted their offseason programs remotely under the assumption that training camps will be held in person starting at the end of July.