Dr. Anthony Fauci got a bit snarky towards one of his loudest Republican critics on Sunday, firing back at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s demand that Attorney General Merrick Garland prosecute the nation’s top infectious disease expert. During a wide-ranging sit-down with CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan, Fauci dismissed the political “theater” coming from GOP lawmakers such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has called for Fauci to be arrested while accusing him of being responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brennan then noted that Cruz told the attorney general to prosecute Fauci, prompting the chief White House medical adviser to bring up the senator’s efforts to overturn the last presidential election. “I should be prosecuted?!” Fauci laughed. “What happened on Jan. 6, senator?!”

The CBS anchor went on to ask Fauci if he thought this was an attempt by Republicans to make him “a scapegoat to deflect from” former President Donald Trump. “Of course! You have to be asleep not to figure that one out,” he exclaimed.