Trump: Fauci will testify only to Senate because 'House is a bunch of Trump-haters'

President Trump said Tuesday that Dr. Anthony Fauci – a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force – will testify before the Senate but that he doesn't want him to appear before the House because it's "a bunch of Trump-haters."

"The House is a set up," the president said. "The House is a bunch of Trump-haters."

The president spoke specifically about an oversight committee in the Democrat-controlled chamber before which Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, could testify. The Senate is led by Republicans.

"They put every Trump hater on the committee. The same old stuff. ... The House has put on a committee, an oversight committee, of Maxine Waters and Maloney and the same people. And it’s just a setup," said Trump, who was apparently referring to New York Rep. Carolyn Malone, chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. 

"But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate, and he looks forward to doing that," Trump also said.

Trump's comments came prior to boarding for his trip to Phoenix to tour a Honeywell facility manufacturing masks to fight the coronavirus and hold a roundtable to help Native Americans.

“They frankly want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death," the president also said. "They should be ashamed of themselves."

Trump also accused House Democrats of partisan motives.

“They want us to fail so they can win an election, which they’re not going to win," he said.

The White House on Friday rebuffed a request from a House committee to have Fauci testify at an upcoming hearing, saying they want key officials to stay focused on the coronavirus fight.

House Democrats complained about the decision regarding Fauci testifying at an Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the country's COVID-19 response, saying the White House had "blocked" him.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement issued to multiple media outlets: "While the Trump administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at Congressional hearings. ... We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time."