Fauci says he hopes he can stay in his job after Trump floated firing him after the election
Dr. Anthony Fauci is very much hoping President Trump doesn't try to have him fired, as he suggested he might do once the election was over.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, spoke to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday and was asked if he's concerned that Trump may try to have him removed from his position, after the president told rallygoers who were chanting "fire Fauci" to "let me wait till a little bit after the election, please." A week after Election Day, Fauci told MSNBC he hopes he can continue his work.
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.
Fauci said "every minute of my life right now is devoted to trying to end this pandemic, so I would hope that I'm allowed to continue to do that, because I think I do it well."
Trump can't actually fire Fauci directly, though he could pressure the director of the National Institutes of Health or the secretary of Health and Human Services to remove him, The Associated Press notes. The president has publicly criticized Fauci while his top infectious disease expert offers blunt warnings about the pandemic, in October calling him a "disaster" and saying that "people are tired of hearing Fauci and these idiots."
Fauci previously told CNN he has "no intention of leaving" his position, adding, "It's an important job, and my goal is to serve the American public, no matter what the administration is." Brendan Morrow
-
Critics’ choice: The year’s top 10 moviesFeature ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘It Was Just an Accident’ stand out
-
The small Caribbean island courting crypto billionsUnder the Radar Crypto mogul Olivier Janssens plans to create a libertarian utopia on Nevis
-
Political cartoons for December 21Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include Christmas movies, AI sermons, and more
-
US offers Ukraine NATO-like security pact, with caveatsSpeed Read The Trump administration has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive from NATO
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
-
Australia weighs new gun laws after antisemitic attackSpeed Read A father and son opened fire on Jewish families at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Benin thwarts coup attemptSpeed Read President Patrice Talon condemned an attempted coup that was foiled by the West African country’s army
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
