Dr. Anthony Fauci denied accusations that he is stepping down from government work after more than half a century in order to avoid investigations into the nation’s COVID-19 response.
Fauci, who became the face of the pandemic response under two White House administrations, announced he would be stepping down by the end of the year, prompting criticisms from some on the Right who said his retirement would not shield him from investigations should Republicans win control of Congress in November. The infectious diseases expert fired back at those accusations, arguing he was “not even a little bit” worried about possible inquiries.
THE DOCTOR IS OUT: ANTHONY FAUCI REVEALS WHEN HE WILL STEP DOWN
“I have nothing to hide,” Fauci told Fox News’s Neil Cavuto on Tuesday. “I can defend everything I’ve done and every decision I’ve made. So, I’m not afraid of that at all.”
Shortly after Fauci’s announcement, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a frequent foe of Fauci, vowed the White House chief medical adviser would not be exempt from a “full-throated investigation into the origins of the pandemic,” something the Kentucky Republican has been advocating since earlier this year.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Paul previously accused Fauci of creating “superviruses” during experiments in the Wuhan Institute of Virology that were allegedly funded by the National Institutes of Health. Fauci dismissed those claims as “entirely and completely incorrect.”
Fauci is set to leave his positions as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden in December, marking the end of his 38-year reign in the director role and more than 50 years in government services. After his retirement, Fauci said he plans to shift his focus to advancing science and public health for the “next generation of scientific leaders.”
