Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert who has become the face of America’s fight against Covid-19, announced Monday that he would be leaving government service in December after more than 50 years and stepping down as an adviser to President Joe Biden.
In the chaotic early days of the pandemic, Fauci became the country’s most trusted Covid expert – but his clashes with former President Donald Trump over the virus response drew anger from the right and he is now living with security protection following death threats against his family.
The 81-year-old, who has served under seven presidents since Ronald Reagan, said in a statement he will be leaving both his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical adviser to Biden.
But he added: “I’m not retiring.” Instead, Fauci, who had said he would be going until the end of Biden’s current term, said he now intends to “pursue the next chapter of my career.”
Biden expressed his “deepest thanks” to Fauci in a White House statement, adding that the country is “stronger, more resilient and healthier because of him.”
Fauci has led the United States’ response to outbreaks of infectious diseases, from HIV/AIDS to Covid-19, since the 1980s.
When Covid first spread globally from China in 2020, he became a credible source of reliable information, reassuring the public with his calm and professorial demeanor in frequent media appearances.
His no-nonsense approach earned him legions of fans who bought t-shirts and bobbleheads with his likeness on them and made cocktails named after him.
But his honest stance on America’s early failure to get a grip on the virus put Fauci at odds with Trump. The White House once banned him from giving television interviews and launched a media blitz against him.
The clash helped make him a hate figure for many on the right – already outraged by the pandemic protections Fauci advocated, from masks and vaccines to school and business closures.
Earlier this year, Fauci reported “threatening my life, harassing my family and children with obscene phone calls.”
This month, a West Virginia man was sentenced to three years in prison for threatening to drag Fauci and his family onto the street and beat them to death.
But despite the threats, Fauci has been forgiving towards Trump in recent interviews, telling Politico last year that they’ve formed “an interesting relationship.”
– ‘Honour of Life’ –
It wasn’t the first time he’d faced criticism and clashes. In the 1980s he became a lightning conductor for accusations that the government was not doing enough to stem the rise of HIV/AIDS – but he later forged close working relationships with activists.
His achievements include implementing a fast-track system that expands access to antiretroviral drugs and working with former President George HW Bush to allocate more resources.
Later, under President George W. Bush, Fauci was the architect of the President’s Contingency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), credited with saving millions of lives in sub-Saharan Africa.
As a scientist, he is credited with developing effective treatments for formerly deadly inflammatory diseases and helping to understand how HIV destroys the body’s defenses.
Despite his many responsibilities, he continued to treat patients at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. It was not clear if this was part of his plans for the future.
Biden said that Fauci was “one of my first calls” after winning the 2020 election when he was trying to build a team to lead the Covid-19 response.
“In this role, I was able to call him any time of the day for his advice as we addressed this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic,” the President said.
Fauci said it was the “honor of his life” to lead NIAID, which he has done since 1984.
He didn’t say what he would do next, but said he wants to inspire and mentor the next generation, citing the “energy and passion” he still has for the field despite decades of service.
“I’m proud to have been part of this important work,” he said.
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