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Dr. Anthony Fauci announced Monday that he would be stepping down from his positions as chief medical advisor to Joe Biden and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases in December.
According to Fox News, Fauci released a statement Monday, saying, “I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from the positions of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden.” He added, “I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career.”
Fauci has served as the head of NIAID since 1984, according to the New York Post. During his 38 years as the director, he worked under seven different presidential administrations, Fox reported.
Throughout his time as NIAID director, Fauci played major roles in the fight against AIDS and the Covid-19 pandemic. However, his approach to the Covid-19 pandemic led him into conflict with the American people, Republican lawmakers, and President Donald Trump.
After months of hinting that he would step down from his positions, Fauci has finally announced his decision to the American people.
Fauci’s announcement comes after Republican lawmakers have vowed to investigate Fauci for his role in the Covid-19 pandemic. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said, “If we win in November, if I’m chairman of a committee, if I have subpoena power, we’ll go after every one of [Fauci’s] records. We’ll have an investigator go through this piece-by-piece because we don’t need this to happen again.”
After Fauci announced his resignation Monday, Biden described him as a “dedicated public servant” and praised his “wisdom and insight.”
While the news media and Democrats commemorate Fauci’s legacy, Republicans are already celebrating his resignation announcement while reminding Americans that Republican lawmakers will still pursue investigations into Fauci after the midterm elections.
Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake quickly celebrated his statement, saying, “Good riddance.”
Fauci explained, “While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring. After more than 50 years of government service, I plan to pursue the next phase of my career while I still have so much energy and passion for my field.”
While the controversial doctor may be stepping down in December, he will most likely remain in the national spotlight if Republicans retake the legislature in the November midterm elections and begin their investigations into his pandemic response.