Dr. Anthony Fauci said he should have been "much more careful" in his messaging in the opening stages of the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, arguing that many of his statements were misinterpreted.

Fauci made the statement while speaking at the University of Southern California’s Center for Health Journalism on Wednesday. Fauci is scheduled to step down as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December after years of leading U.S .COVID policies.

Washington Post reporter Dan Diamond asked Fauci how he might have approached the pandemic differently given what he knows now, according to The Hill. 

"You know, the answer is yes, Dan. I mean, my goodness, no one’s perfect. Certainly, I am not," Fauci said.

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"When I go back in the early months, I probably should have tried to be much, much more careful in getting the message to repeat — the uncertainty of what we’re going through," he continued.

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Fauci went on to argue that many of his statements early on in the pandemic had been taken out of context. Republicans on Capitol Hill have repeatedly criticized Fauci after many of his early claims about the pandemic proved false, such as his assurances that the COVID-19 vaccine would prevent infection.

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"You have to be very careful. It is really unfortunate that that’s the world in which we live, in that it’s a bunch of sound bites, sound bites that sometimes get cut in half and get misinterpreted," he said. "Someone could always make mischief by clipping out a few words."

Fauci added that he is ready to appear before Congress to explain his actions if Republicans successfully take over the House or Senate in November. Republicans have a long list of targets they hope to hit with subpoenas.

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"Of course, I have no problem," he said of testifying. "I am a big believer in oversight, and I have testified before Congress literally hundreds of times."