Anthony Fauci told CNN on Tuesday that every American who needs a coronavirus test should be able to get one by the end of May or beginning of June.
Why it matters: Testing increased last week after hitting a plateau, but it's still not close to the level needed to safely reopen the country. The White House unveiled a plan on Monday that lays out how the administration will work with state governments and the private sector to expand testing.
The big picture: Fauci conceded to CNN's Jake Tapper that the U.S. does not have the "perfect" testing system President Trump has touted, but said, "We're going to get there." He also clarified that not everyone who "wants" a test necessarily "needs" one.
- Fauci said on Saturday that the U.S. is testing between 1.5 million to 2 million people per week, adding: "We probably should get up to twice that as we get into the next several weeks, and I think we will."
Flashback: President Trump insisted as early as March 6 that anybody who needs a test could get one.
What he's saying:
"Everyone who needs a test, according to the way we're approaching the identification, isolation, contact tracing — keeping the country safe and healthy. Hopefully, we should see that as we get toward the end of May, the beginning of June. Jake, that's what I'm being told by the people who are responsible for the testing. I take them for their word. If that doesn't happen, I'm going to go to them and say, 'What happened here? Why didn't it happen and how can we fix it.'"— Anthony Fauci to CNN