Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical advisor to the president, has previously committed to retiring in the event of Donald Trump winning a second term in the White House.
However, Fauci spoke to Fox News Channel’s Neil Cavuto on Wednesday about his future in the Cabinet. Fauci said he planned to retire in the next few years, regardless of who is in charge.
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Cavuto asked, “You’ve dealt with COVID under this administration, the prior administration. I’m just wondering. Would you continue serving that role if the prior president, Donald Trump, returns to the White House?”
Fauci voiced tentative plans to retire after the next presidential election no matter the outcome.
“Well, I’m not going to get involved in any politics about who is or is not going in the White House,” Fauci responded. “By the time that happens, I think I won’t be around, no matter who the president is.”
Cavuto followed up, “What does that mean, that you’re done?”
“No, I’m not done yet,” Fauci, 81, hit back. “But you’re talking about a few years from now. And I don’t foresee that I’ll be doing this a few years from now.”
“So, no matter who is president, whether it’s Joe Biden getting reelected or someone else, Donald Trump or anyone else, you would not continue?”
“That’s exactly correct. I’ve been doing this now for 38 years. It will be over 40 years if I wait that long.”
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Fauci has directed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, during the AIDS pandemic. In 2003, he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom for working on PEPFAR, the Bush administration’s plan for AIDS relief in Africa.
In some capacity, Fauci has advised every president since Ronald Reagan. However, he damaged his reputation among some Republicans by sparring with Trump during televised interviews. In the Biden administration, he has become known for his heated exchanges with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who introduced legislation to split Fauci’s position into three separate jobs.
Previously, Fauci has said only that he would retire in the event of a second Trump administration.
CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Fauci last month, “If Trump were to return to the White House as president and COVID is still a threat or there’s some other public health emergency.. would you want to stay on in your post?”
“Well, no,” Fauci replied, laughing. “For sure.”
Take a look —
CNN’s @acosta asks Dr. Anthony Fauci if he would return to the White House if Donald Trump was elected for a second term. Hear his response. pic.twitter.com/RM26OPZgYO
— CNN (@CNN) May 15, 2022
Fauci, while talking to Cavuto, also addressed masks on airplanes, working from home, and whether to declare an end to the pandemic.
“Now the mandate has been pulled back on the decision of the court, but that does not change the recommendation of the CDC, Neil, or my own personal preference,” Fauci said of masking on airplanes. “When I travel on the plane, given my evaluation of my personal risk, as a person of my age, with or without underlying conditions, I feel that I would be much more comfortable for my safety and even for the safety of others, to wear a mask. But that’s a recommendation. That’s not a mandate.”
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Fauci also fielded questions about SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s requirement for all his employees to work from the office full-time.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment what … an employer does to their employees,” Fauci said. “I think it’s going to be up to each individual employer to decide what policy they’re going to make for their employees, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment about any individual employer.”
However, Fauci gave an incomplete answer as the whether the pandemic was over.
“We are not over the pandemic. We are over the — When I say ‘over,’ Neil, that doesn’t mean that might not return,” Fauci said, never to return to this thought.
“The ratio of hospitalizations and death to cases is much lower now than it was with delta, which means. Maybe people — and they are — certainly getting infected, but the severity of the disease leading to hospitalization and death, proportionally, is much lower… I think it’s going to vary depending on the level of infection in a different community. As you know, we’re in a very big country.
Watch the video here —
The Horn editorial team