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President Donald Trump said on Friday (January 24) that Dr. Anthony Fauci, a former top health official who has faced threats since leading the country's COVID-19 response, should hire his own security.
Sources confirmed to Reuters that federal security protection had been cancelled for Fauci, a top infectious disease official whose efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic were applauded by many public health experts but vilified by Donald Trump and many Republicans.
Trump ended federal protection for at least three other former top officials, who served during his first administration, since assuming office the second time on Monday.
President Donald Trump addressed reports that he had stripped Dr. Anthony Fauci of his federal security detail, stating that government officials can’t have security for life.
"At some point, your security detail comes off," Trump said at a press briefing in North Carolina. Trump clarified that the decision to revoke security protection applied to multiple former officials and was not specific to Fauci.
Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases before retiring in 2022, had been under federal protection provided by the National Institutes of Health.
Other former officials, including John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Brian Hook, also lost their security detail this week.
Asked if he would take responsibility if anything happened to Fauci or Bolton, Trump replied, "No," adding that they had earned substantial wealth and could afford to hire their own security.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for almost 40 years and served as Biden’s chief medical advisor until retiring in 2022, was pivotal in coordinating the US response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His rejection of former President Trump’s baseless claims sparked intense criticism from Trump and his supporters. Since then, Fauci has faced severe backlash from conservatives, who hold him responsible for policies such as mask mandates, despite the heavy toll of the pandemic.
Former President Joe Biden, in his final hours in office, granted pre-emptive pardons to several, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot.
These pardons appear to be a protective measure against potential retribution from the incoming Trump administration, which indicated plans to target individuals involved in investigations into former President Donald Trump.
Former US president Biden's decision followed threats made by Trump, who suggested he would take action against those who held him accountable for his role in the January 6 attack and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The pardons were issued without formal admission of wrongdoing or criminal activity by those pardoned.
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