Fauci on if he'd want to stay in his post if Trump wins another term: 'Well, no'

Dr. Anthony Fauci isn't interested in serving under former President Donald Trump again.

The nation's top infectious disease expert told CNN he wouldn't serve under Trump should the former president be elected to a second term in 2024. CNN's Jim Acosta asked Fauci if he would "want to stay on in your post" if Trump, who has not officially announced a 2024 bid, returns to the White House. Fauci laughed and responded, "Well, no."

Fauci is currently chief medical adviser to President Biden, and he has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. In March, the 81-year-old said he wouldn't want to consider potentially retiring until the United States is "really out of" the pandemic.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

In the CNN interview, Fauci was also asked if he would have confidence in Trump's ability to handle COVID-19 or "some other public health emergency" in a potential second term. "If you look at the history of what the response was during the administration, I think at best you can say it wasn't optimal," Fauci said. "And I think history will speak for itself about that."

During the Trump administration, Fauci frequently broke from the president when he made false or misleading claims about the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking with Chris Wallace last month, Fauci said it was "very painful" to have to "go to the podium and say, 'I'm sorry, I disagree with you.'"