Fauci Expected to Retire By the End of Biden's Current Term

The government's top infectious disease expert said Monday he plans to retire by the end of President Joe Biden's term in January 2025.

Fauci was named director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984 and has led research into HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, and the coronaviruses. He is Biden's medical adviser.

Fauci said in an interview that he wanted to leave behind an institution where he had picked the best people in the country.

Fauci didn't have a specific retirement date in mind and didn't start the process until Monday. He believes he will leave government before the end of Biden's term.

There is a lot of confusion about the newest, most contagious omicron subvariants.

Fauci said he would probably retire by the end of Biden's first term. He said that it is likely that he won't be here past January 25th.

At the height of the coronaviruses outbreak, Fauci, long a prominent figure of the government's response to infectious disease, was thrust even more into the spotlight. Fauci had to get security protection when he and his family received death threats and harassment because of the politicized nature of the Pandemic Response.

Fauci and some Republicans engaged in heated exchanges over the origin of the virus.

Fauci said his decision to leave his role was not related to politics.

It has nothing to do with pressures, it has nothing to do with barbs, it has nothing to do with arrows, and it has nothing to do with anything else. He said that that has no effect on him.

We'd love to hear from you at letters@Time.com.