WATCH: Fauci Laughs and Tells CNN’s Acosta He’s ‘For Sure’ Not Interested in Staying in His Position if Trump is Re-Elected

Dr. Anthony Fauci chuckled and gave an emphatically negative answer when CNN’s Jim Acosta asked him if he would stay on at his position if former President Donald Trump were re-elected in 2024.

Fauci currently serves as the Chief Medical Adviser to the President and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a title he has held through multiple presidencies.

Acosta asked Fauci about an anecdote from Dr. Deborah Birx’s recent book describing a White House Covid Task Force meeting near the end of the Trump presidency.

“It was in this meeting and you were there, and she says that Vice President [Mike] Pence yelled at her when she called the pandemic one of the worst catastrophes in U.S. history and writes that she was disappointed you didn’t stick up for her in that moment,” said Acosta, noting that Fauci had in fact “stuck up for [Birx] on many occasions.”

“Do you remember that episode playing out that way?” asked Acosta.

“No,” replied Fauci.

Acosta pressed him to elaborate, and Fauci said he didn’t recall that meeting “at all.” He emphasized that he had “always been very supportive of Dr. Birx,” both behind the scenes and in front of the cameras. “I’m not sure what she was referring to there,” he added.

Acosta then pivoted to Trump’s much-rumored 2024 campaign and asked Fauci what he would do if Trump won re-election.

“If Trump were to return to the White House as president, and Covid is still a threat, or there’s some other public health emergency, would you have confidence in his ability to deal with a pandemic of this nature?” asked Acosta. “Would you want to stay on in your post?”

Fauci paused for a moment and then answered with a chuckle, “Well, no, to the second question.”

“I knew the answer,” said Acosta, “but I had to ask you.”

Regarding the first question, Fauci said, “look[ing] at the history of what the response was during the [Trump] administration, I think, you know, at best you could say it wasn’t optimal. And I think history will speak to itself about that. I don’t need to make any further comment on that, Jim. It’s not productive.”

“You would not serve with Trump again though, right?” the CNN host asked. “Fair to say?”

“Right,” said Fauci. “For sure. Yeah.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

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