Likely this wasn’t simply a mistake, either. Fauci should have known better, probably did know better.
he should have known better than to talk to cnn that was as you said a mistake or on purpose either way it is unpardonable...
It may have been aimed at the other people pushing back rather than at the President. Fauci says Trump listens. It may have been to diminish the influence of the task force people on the other side of the argument from Fauci.