Fauci drops out of White House Correspondents Dinner over COVID concerns


The White House Correspondents' Dinner is back, but Dr. Anthony Fauci will no longer be there.
President Biden's chief medical adviser was planning to attend the dinner on Saturday as a guest of ABC News, but he will no longer do so due to COVID concerns, CNN reports. Fauci told The New York Times he decided to drop out "because of my individual assessment of my personal risk."
The White House Correspondents Dinner gathers journalists and politicians each year, but it hasn't been held since 2019 because of the pandemic. The Daily Show's Trevor Noah is set to host this year. It's tradition for the president to attend, and although former President Donald Trump repeatedly skipped the dinner during his administration, President Biden is planning to go.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Still, after Fauci pulled out, Politico wondered if Biden would do the same or if he'd be "disagreeing with his chief medical adviser" by still going. Fauci, 81, is only two years older than Biden, 79. On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that "just like many Americans," Biden "makes risk assessments," adding, "That's an event he's attended many times in the past, and he made a decision through consultations that it was an event he could attend and wanted to attend again."
According to The New York Times, about 2,600 people are expected to attend the dinner, which will require proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
A running list of Trump's conflicts of interest
In Depth A potential Qatari plane is the latest in a series of problematic connections
-
The ins and outs of experiencing the best of travel by Amtrak
The Week Recommends The journey is slower, but the scenery is stunning
-
Leo XIV: What an American pope can teach America
Feature Chicago-born Bob Prevost makes history by becoming the first American pope
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr.: A new plan for sabotaging vaccines
Feature The Health Secretary announced changes to vaccine testing and asks Americans to 'do your own research'
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
-
Five years on: How Covid changed everything
Feature We seem to have collectively forgotten Covid’s horrors, but they have completely reshaped politics
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows