WASHINGTON – Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, who has repeatedly rejected speculation that he would retire, says he has a period of time in mind for the end of his long career in government. But those who are anxious to leave may have to wait a while: their plan is to leave in January 2025, the end of President Biden’s current term.
In recent months, the conversation about him-or-not-resigning has haunted Dr. Fauci, 81, perhaps America’s best-known doctor. The problem comes and goes in direct proportion to how many Republicans attack the man who has been the top medical adviser to two presidents during the pandemic.
Dr. Fauci, a government scientist for more than 50 years and director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, has always said he would leave at some point, but not exactly when. And, in fact, he hasn’t done so yet: on Monday he said he was “almost certain” he would resign before the next presidential term.
“I will not be in this job forever, but I can tell you that I will almost certainly resign before the next term, that is, at the end of Joe Biden’s first term, which is January 2025,” he said in an interview. after mentioning that date for a report in Politico published Monday.
He insisted that this final date was not much news. “I never, ever planned to go beyond Joe Biden’s first term, even if he gets a second term, I don’t plan on being there for that,” he said.
Still, the onset of a smooth target date was remarkable.
In an interview in September 2021, he said he was not really thinking about when he would resign, but was working on a memoir and could not hire a publisher until he left government service.
“I’m not at all crazy to think I’ll do this when I’m 92,” he said. “But right now, when you’re caught up in this amazing, intense activity, you don’t really think about retiring. You think about ending this pandemic, you know, putting it in the rearview mirror and then maybe you take a deep breath and think about retiring.” has”.
He added, “As soon as I retire, you’ll see a book.”
In an interview in January, he said he would not let Republicans force him and that his schedule would be his. In a quick text conversation in May, he was asked to respond to reports that he was about to resign.
“Rumors, rumors, rumors,” he replied.
Even with the added clarity about the possible timing of his retirement, January 2025 is a long way off. The biggest question is whether Dr. Fauci will leave before January 2023, when Republicans can control one or both chambers of Congress. Representative Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, has already said Republicans will investigate Dr. Fauci if they gain control of the House.
Some of Dr. Fauci’s friends have asked him to leave office before this happens. But he said he is not concerned about any investigation, noting that Republicans, who have accused him of misleading the public about the origins and severity of the virus, could investigate him regardless of whether he is still working.
“My retirement would have nothing to do with avoiding it,” he said in January, adding, “I can’t think of what they would want to investigate except all this pile of lies they’re throwing.”