FLETCHER, N.C. — Former President Donald Trump has decided to end the federal security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the expert who advised him on the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Fauci is the latest in a series of Trump’s former aides, who have become critics, to lose their federal protection, even though they continue to face threats to their safety.
During a Friday press conference in North Carolina, Trump said he wouldn’t feel responsible if anything happened to these former officials. A person close to the matter, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of security, confirmed that Fauci’s federal protection was stopped on Thursday. Fauci has since hired private security.
When asked about Fauci and former National Security Adviser John Bolton, Trump responded, “They all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security too.”
Earlier this week, Trump also canceled the security details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, as well as Bolton. All of them have faced threats from Iran due to their strong stance on the country during Trump’s presidency, and their strained relationship with him since he left office in 2021.
Fauci, who was a regular figure alongside Trump during the COVID-19 crisis, became a critic of the former president when Trump attempted to downplay public health advice. Fauci has been receiving federal security for years due to ongoing threats against his life.
After leaving office, the Biden administration continued providing security for Bolton, Hook, Pompeo, and Fauci because of the serious threats they faced.
Trump argued, “You can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life just because you worked for the government.”
