Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) says he looks forward to questioning Dr. Anthony Fauci about the origins of COVID-19 under oath following the doctor’s announcement that he doesn’t plan to retire.
Fauci, 81, said Monday in an interview published by Politico that he didn’t think he would stay in his current position as chief medical adviser until the end of Biden’s current term.
The doctor’s statement caused speculation about a potential retirement, which Fauci put to bed while speaking at The Hill’s “Future of Health Care Summit” on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to retire. No, no, I’m not going to retire. I may step down from my current position at some time,” Fauci said, according to The Hill.
Paul responded to the news that Fauci wasn’t going to retire with a tweet, rejoicing at the polarizing figure’s career announcement.
“Excellent – because I look forward to ascertaining Fauci’s involvement in the cover-up of the lab origins of COVID — Under Oath!” Paul said in a tweet linking to a story about Fauci.
Excellent – because I look forward to ascertaining Fauci’s involvement in the cover-up of the lab origins of COVID — Under Oath! https://t.co/LHmpE8QuWs
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 19, 2022
According to The Hill, Fauci’s initial comments about leaving his position at the White House were in the form of a question about a potential second term for former President Donald Trump.
The interviewer asked Fauci if he would continue in his White House capacity if Trump won the presidency in 2024.
“I said a very innocent but true thing. I said whether it’s Donald Trump or it’s Joe Biden’s second term, I don’t intend to be in my current position in January of 2025,” Fauci said.
The National Institutes of Health director went on to say, “What happens between now and then I have not decided, but the one thing I do know is that I have other things that I want to do in a professional way that I want to have the capability — while I still have the energy and the passion to do them.”
Paul has a history of calling Fauci out for his work regarding COVID-19 and vaccine information.
Last month Paul grilled Fauci during a Senate hearing for pushing vaccine boosters on children despite lack of data surrounding potential effectiveness or fallout.
“That’s the only proof you have to tell children to take a boosters — that they make antibodies. So it’s not an absurdity. You’re already at like five boosters for people. You’ve had, you know, two or three boosters. It’s like, where is the proof?” Paul asked according to Breitbart News, noting the potential risk involved in the vaccine.