Dr Anthony Fauci has today returned to the White House podium as US President Joe Biden's chief medical officer, while utilising the opportunity to take a thinly-veiled jab at the incompetence of the Trump administration.
Speaking during his first White House briefing of the Biden administration, Fauci made his feelings crystal clear and seemed far more comfortable in his new role serving Biden than we've previously seen when serving under former President Donald Trump.
"It's very clear that there were things that were said, be it regarding things like hydroxychloroquine and other things like that, that really was uncomfortable because they were not based on scientific fact," Fauci said.
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"I can tell you I take no pleasure at all being in a situation of contradicting the president so it was really something that you didn't feel that you could actually say something, and there wouldn't be any repercussions about it.
"The idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know, what the evidence, what the science is, and know that's it, let the science speak. It is somewhat of a liberating feeling."
Fauci continued: "One of the new things in this administration is, if you don't know the answer, don't guess. Just say you don't know the answer."
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Speaking on the ongoing chaos of the coronavirus pandemic in the US which has seen more than 400,000 Americans die from the virus, Fauci outlined when the country could return to a 'degree of normality'.
"If we get 70 to 85 per cent of the country vaccinated, let's say by the end of the summer, middle of the summer, I believe by the time we get to the fall we will be approaching a degree of normality.
"It's not going to be perfectly normal, but one that I think will take a lot of pressure off the American public," he said.
Social media were quick to comment on how different Fauci looked, with many pointing out he looked far less stress out than when he did working for Trump.
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One user even making a split-screen comparing the notable difference between his demeanour while working under both Trump and Biden.
Fauci had previously butted heads with Trump after he contradicted the controversial conservative's numerous unsubstantiated claims about Covid, with the former President even once labelling the doctor as 'a disaster'.
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During a call with his campaign staff in Las Vegas, Trump said: "Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we'd have 500,000 deaths.
"He's a nice guy; I like him. But he's called a lot of bad calls. He said 'don't wear a mask', and he said 'don't ban China'.
"They were bad calls; he admits that. And I don't hold that against him. If I did, I wouldn't have him. No, I think he's a nice guy."
