Or he’s in denial. He’s clinging desperately to the attention, the money and the perceived power. He’s a narcissist.
He has stated he isn't going anywhere until it is over. If he becomes a political liability, I think it likely he will be sent back to NIAID to stonewall (GOF) research. I've seen a couple of recent polls that have his favorability rating around 40% and a bit above 50%. Either way, that isn't very good for Mr. Science.