Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, told Newsy on Tuesday that she plans to retire.
Driving the news: Birx did not provide a specific timeline, but said she is willing to wait and help President-elect Joe Biden’s team with its coronavirus response if needed.
What she's saying: “I want the Biden administration to be successful," Birx told Newsy.
- “I will be helpful in any role that people think I can be helpful in, and then I will retire,” she said, adding that she would only help "through a period of time."
- “This experience has been a bit overwhelming. It’s been very difficult on my family," she said, pointing to criticism she received after traveling to Delaware over the Thanksgiving holiday for what she said was the winterization of the property before a possible sale, per AP.
The big picture: Birx left her post as the U.S. global AIDS coordinator in February to join the White House coronavirus task force.
- During her time on the task force, Birx faced criticism for not publicly pushing back strongly enough against President Trump when he contradicted medical advice and science.
- The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Go deeper: Why Deborah Birx is the real power doctor
