US lead coronavirus expert to testify in Senate on country's COVID-19 response

The lead coronavirus expert of US Anthony Fauci will appear next week before a panel in the Republican-led Senate examining the country's coronavirus response, according to US President Donald Trump.

However, he hasn't been allowed to appear before the the Democratic-led House of Representatives.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump defended his decision to block the nation's top health expert from appearing before the House, saying he was being set up by Democrats who hate him and want to win back the White House in November's presidential election.

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Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, is scheduled to appear May 12 before the Senate Health, Education, and Labor and Pensions committee along with other top US health officials.

"The House they should be ashamed of themselves and, frankly, the Democrats should be ashamed because they don't want us to succeed. They want us to fail so they can win an election, which they're not going to win," the Republican president said.

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A House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees health programs had been seeking testimony from Fauci for a May 6 hearing, but the White House last week said his appearance would be "counterproductive."

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, and Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Brett Giroir are also scheduled to appear before the Senate hearing next week focused on "safely getting back to work and ... school," according to the committee.