Former White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci has had his government security detail pulled by President Donald Trump, according to new reports.
CNN reported that the detail was withdrawn on Thursday night.
Fauci has since hired security protection, the outlet adds.
The National Institutes of Health wanted protection for Fauci in 2020 when he was the lead of the federal government response to COVID-19, according to Fox News.
On Friday, during a visit to North Carolina, Trump said enough was enough.
Today I sent supporting information to end the 24 hr a day limo and security detail for Fauci. I wish him nothing but peace but he needs to pay for his own limos.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 24, 2025
“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,” Trump said.
“We took some off other people too, but you can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life because you work for government,” he said.
Trump ended security details for former national security advisor John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Dr. Fauci can hire his own security
Trump out in Asheville touring the devastation
Watch Melania at the end
it’s a good Friday indeed pic.twitter.com/PdFLG6smdl— Digi Gal (@DigitalGal_) January 24, 2025
When asked if he would feel responsible if something happened to the people whose details were removed, Trump said he would not.
“No. You know, they all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security,” Trump said.
Trump said he knows of good private security firms and would give those losing their government-funded details “some good numbers.”
JUST IN: President Trump has terminated Dr. Fauci’s security deal, says he has made a lot of money so he can pay for it himself.
Amazing.
Trump said he would give Bolton and Fauci some “good numbers” of people they could call so they can hire them on their own.
“They can hire… pic.twitter.com/dDIyjzNpZT
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 24, 2025
“Certainly I would not take responsibility,” he said.
As noted by the New York Post, Fauci was the highest-paid federal government employee when he retired in 2022.
Fauci earned $481,000 in his final year with the federal government and had a net worth, along with his wife, of about $11 million.
