Dr. Anthony Fauci Skipped WHCA Dinner, Citing Coronavirus Risk — but Appeared at WHCA Weekend Party Maskless

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared at a White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) party on Sa
Twitter/White House Insider
Charlie Spiering

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared at a White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) garden party on Saturday even after he dropped out of the WHCA dinner as too risky to attend during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fauci said he made “an individual assessment of my personal risk” as the reason for canceling his appearance at the dinner.

But Fauci did not stay away from all of the WHCA events over the weekend.

He attended the 27th Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch where he went on camera to celebrate people coming back out of their homes again.

“We’ve been two and half years in one of the most stressful times we’ve had since you know since world wars, if you look at that historically,” Fauci said.

The nation’s top doctor and adviser for President Joe Biden’s coronavirus pandemic response team wore a black turtleneck for the brunch underneath a charcoal suit.

Fauci took photos with U.S. Army Inspector General Lt. Donna Martin and CNN’s Don Lemon during the event.

“We’ve still gotta be careful. It isn’t completely over. But it certainly is going in the right direction. So we’re glad to see people able to come out, they’re vaccinated, they’re boosted, they’re tested,” Fauci said. “So it’s pretty good.”

The Garden Brunch featured a number of Democrats celebrating under a tent outside on Saturday, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Fauci critics pointed out on social media what looked to be masked waiters attending to the unmasked elite guests at the event.

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