President Donald Trump Confirms Termination of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Security Detail
President Trump confirmed on Friday that he has terminated the security detail provided to Dr. Anthony Fauci at taxpayer expense. The National Institutes of Health had requested security for Fauci in 2020 to protect him from threats he received as the top health official and public spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Trump revealed that the detail is now being pulled.
When asked about the decision, Trump said, “I think, you know, when you work for government, at some point your security detail comes off and, you know, you can’t have them forever.” He emphasized that it’s not possible for government officials to have a security detail for the rest of their lives.
Trump’s decision to end Fauci’s security detail comes after he revoked the security clearances of 51 intelligence officials who had wrongly claimed that Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” He also revoked the clearances of former national security advisor John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump downplayed any responsibility for his decision, saying, “I would not take responsibility. You know, they all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security.” He added that he knows several good security firms and can give them “some good numbers.”
Fauci had previously received a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden to shield him from Trump’s retribution. Fauci served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022 and was the chief medical advisor to the president from 2021 to 2022.
