Former White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci shared his concerns about future mask mandates.

Fauci told CNN that he was worried that many Americans won't comply with mask mandates if they arise in the future.

Fauci is ‘concerned’ that people won’t comply if masking recommendations return: 'I hope' they 'abide' https://t.co/Xrs7uCFBxq

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 4, 2023

"I would hope that if we get to the point that the volume of cases is such and organizations like the CDC recommends – CDC does not mandate anything – recommends that people wear masks, I would hope that people abide by that recommendation and take into account the risks to themselves and their families," Fauci told CNN.

"When you’re talking about the effect on the pandemic as a whole, the data is less strong," Fauci said. "But when you talk about an individual basis of someone protecting themselves … there’s no doubt that there are many studies that show that there is an advantage [to masks]."

WATCH: CNN Blindsides Fauci Live By Forcing Him To Confront The Facts On Maskinghttps://t.co/WCeltWRqgl

— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) September 4, 2023

CNN also pushed back on the effectiveness of mask-wearing, now three years after the start of the pandemic.

"The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19 — was published late last month,” Smerconish read from a The New York Times article.

“Its conclusions, said Tom Jefferson, the Oxford epidemiologist who is its lead author, were unambiguous. There is just no evidence that masks make any difference. Full stop," he continued.

The conversation took an unexpected twist as CNN and Fauci were butting heads on mask compliance after seemingly working in step during the pandemic to push lockdown restrictions.

The report is significant as COVID numbers have grown in some areas across the nation in recent weeks, leading some hospitals to restart mask restrictions and even some schools closing for a few days.

Fauci, now retired from his role, continues to take heat over his pandemic restrictions regarding masks, this time from an unlikely source friendly to his views in the past.