Dr. Fauci joined Shepard Smith's new show on CNBC and told the audience that he has not been in contact with Trump for months.

Smith, the former Fox News host who left the network unceremoniously because he dared to question Trump, asked Dr. Fauci if we need a federal mask mandate.

Smith asked, "Are you still, does the president, are you still in the president's ear, or no and if so, if not who is?

“Well, I haven’t spoken to the president in quite a while about the situation with regard to the outbreak," Dr. Fauci said.

Smith asked why, but Dr. Fauci didn't answer that question.

This is shocking news except for the fact that we know Trump can't stand to be upstaged by anyone, even if that person is the nation's preeminent expert in combating highly contagious viruses.

Trump can't have an expert so well-liked by the American public disagreeing with his efforts to force open schools, bars, restaurants, gyms, and other businesses to aid in his re-election campaign, so he's designated a non-disease expert like Dr. Scott Atlas to do his bidding and downplay the need for masks and social distancing during this pandemic.

"We lean on you for advice. Do we need a national mandate or not?”

Dr. Fauci said we do need a federal mandate but it's not coming from Trump's White House so the burden falls on mayors and governors to do the right thing.

Smith said there are mandates "In more than a hundred countries, even Russia's onboard as of yesterday, but not here."

As the cases rise and the death toll mounts, Trump still tells his minions that it's all "under control."

Don't you feel better now?