FLETCHER, North Carolina (AP) Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised President Donald Trump on the COVID-19 pandemic, has been removed from his federal security detail, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Fauci is the latest in a line of former Trump aides-turned-critics to have their federal protection revoked, despite ongoing threats to their lives.
Speaking to reporters in North Carolina on Friday, Trump stated that he would bear no responsibility if the former government officials suffered harm.
A person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security issues, said Fauci’s federal security detail was terminated on Thursday and that he has since hired private security.
When asked about Fauci and former National Security Advisor John Bolton, Trump replied, “They all made a lot of money. “They can also hire their own security.”
Trump, a Republican, revoked the protection details of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, his top aide, Brian Hook, and Bolton earlier this week.
All have faced threats from Iran since taking hardline stances against the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration and falling out with him in the years following his departure in 2021.
Fauci was a regular at Trump’s side early in the COVID-19 outbreak, but he became critical of the president after he attempted to undermine public health guidance. Fauci faced regular threats to his life and has been under federal protection for years.
Because of credible and ongoing threats from Iran, the Biden administration repeatedly renewed the security details of Bolton, Hook, and Pompeo. Fauci’s appointment was also repeatedly renewed by Democratic President Joe Biden in response to domestic threats.
“You can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life because you worked for government,” he stated.
