One of the nation’s leading vaccine researchers left his role as the director of the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, it was reported this Tuesday.

The reason for the departure of Dr. Rick Bright was unknown and came at the worst possible time, considering that the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the U.S. Now the New York Times is reporting that Bright was removed from his post after he pushed for rigorous vetting of a coronavirus treatment embraced by Trump.

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“I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way,” he said.

Bright will take on a smaller role at the National Institutes of Health overseeing a public-private partnership aimed at vaccine development.

Read the full report over at The New York Times.