近一段时间，美国疫情形势不容乐观。美国约翰斯·霍普金斯大学统计数据显示，截至美国东部时间10日16时30分，美国新冠肺炎确诊病例已超过1020万例。与此前一天差不多相同时间统计数据相比，美国单日新增确诊病例超16万，相当于每秒钟就有近2名美国人确诊新冠肺炎。

在美国疫情陷入秋冬“激增潮”时，却依然有声音要求“炒掉福奇”。特朗普也曾表示要在大选后考虑这一问题。如今美国大选暂告一段落，福奇的去留引发关注。

当地时间9日，美国国家过敏症和传染病研究所所长安东尼·福奇接受CNN采访时，被问及若明年1月20日拜登宣誓就职总统，是否会继续任职。

福奇回应称，“我没打算走人。这是份重要的工作。”



他表示，自己已从事这份职务多年，服务过六任总统，“无论是谁当政，我的目标都是服务美国民众。”



Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday that he plans to remain in his role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases（NIAID）through the remainder of the Trump administration and into President-elect Joe Biden's administration.

"I have no intention of leaving," Fauci told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "This is an important job. I've been doing it now for a very long time. I've been doing it under six presidents."

"And my goal is to serve the American public, no matter what the administration is." Fauci said.

此前11月2日，特朗普在佛罗里达州竞选集会上发表演讲，抱怨封锁措施和媒体对疫情的报道时，台下支持者开始齐声高呼“炒掉福奇（Fire Fauci）”。



见此情形，特朗普回应人群说：“可别告诉任何人，不过让我等大选过后再说吧。谢谢你们的建议。”
“Don't tell anybody, but let me wait untill a little bit after the election. I appreciate the advice.”



听闻此事，拜登则在次日的俄亥俄州竞选集会上力挺福奇称：“昨晚特朗普说要炒掉福奇，真棒啊是不是？但我有个更好的主意。大选选我，我会雇用福奇，炒掉特朗普！”

“Last night Trump said he was going to fire Dr. Fauci. Isn't that wonderful? I got a better idea. Elect me, I'm gonna hire Dr. Fauci and I'm gonna fire Donald Trump.”



根据BBC及《赫芬顿邮报》报道，即便特朗普在大选中获胜，也很难像解雇白宫工作人员或内阁成员一样解雇福奇。因为福奇并非政务官员（political appointee），而是在职公务员（career civil service employee），自1984年起就在美国国家过敏症和传染病研究所担任所长。

不过，虽然不能解雇福奇，但白宫可以削弱福奇对公众的影响力。大选前在接受《华盛顿邮报》采访时，福奇就曾表示他已被限制接触总统或其他政府官员。他对公共健康问题的建议及方针，如果不被白宫采纳，对公众产生影响就微乎其微了。

Fauci is a career civil service employee who has served as the US government's top infectious disease expert for six presidents since 1984. As such, it would be quite difficult for Trump to fire Fauci the way he has political appointees

However, just because Fauci can't be removed, it doesn't mean the White House hasn't already taken steps to curtail his influence. 

As the director noted in a recent interview with the Washington Post, his access to the president and other policymakers has been drastically curtailed. His recommendations and suggested guidelines on public health matters will have little effect if no one hears or heeds them.

综合来源：CNN，BBC, 赫芬顿邮报