After more than five decades of federal service under seven presidents, Dr. Anthony Fauci is officially ready to hang up his white coat.
Fauci, who has spent more than half a century at the National Institutes of Health, will leave government service by the end of the year, according to the New York Times.
Fauci said on Monday that he intended to leave government service in December to "pursue the next chapter" of his career, and that he would step down as President Joe Biden's top medical adviser and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which he has led for 38 years, per The Times.
The pandemic forced Fauci, who will turn 82 on Christmas Eve, into the spotlight as the face of the nation's Covid-19 response. Previously, when asked whether he is staying in his role out of a sense of obligation, Fauci explained, "We're in a pattern now. If somebody says, 'You'll leave when we don't have Covid anymore,' then I will be 105. I think we're going to be living with this."
The nation's top infectious disease expert previously said he would remain at his post until the coronavirus pandemic is under control.
In a statement, Biden called Fauci a "dedicated public servant" with an "unparalleled spirit, energy, and scientific integrity."
"Because of Dr. Fauci's many contributions to public health, lives here in the United States and around the world have been saved," the president said. "Whether you've met him personally or not, he has touched all Americans' lives with his work. I extend my deepest thanks for his public service. The United States of America is stronger, more resilient, and healthier because of him."
When he retires, Fauci will reportedly be eligible for the largest federal retirement package in American history. The doctor's 50-plus years of service would qualify him for an annual retirement package of more than $350,000 – which would continue to increase with annual cost-of-living adjustments, according to Forbes auditors with OpenTheBook.com.
Fauci is currently the highest-paid federal employee, even out-earning the president, according to Forbes. In 2020 he was paid $434,312.
As for his future plans, Fauci told The Times that he was "not retiring in the classic sense" but would devote himself to traveling, writing and encouraging young people to enter government service.
"So long as I'm healthy, which I am, and I'm energetic, which I am, and I'm passionate, which I am, I want to do some things outside of the realm of the federal government," he said, adding that he wanted to use his experience and insight into public health and public service to "hopefully inspire the younger generation."
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