Coronavirus Roundup: Trump Suggests Firing Fauci, New Executive Order Could Allow It

November 2, 2020

During President Trump’s campaign rally in Opa-locka, Florida, on Sunday night a “Fire Fauci” chant broke out. “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election,” Trump said in response. Under his current arrangement, the president cannot directly fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a career civil servant, without cause, as Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, told CNN over the summer. “There are civil service protections for career federal employees that prevent them from being removed or demoted for political reasons,” Stier said.