Trump terminates Fauci’s security job, says he won’t feel responsible if he’s harmed

FLETCHER, N.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump has ended a federal security clearance for infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, who advised him on the COVID-19 Pandemic Advice.

Fauci is the latest in a series of former Trump aides turned critics to have their federal protections revoked despite ongoing threats to their lives.

Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Friday that he would not feel any responsibility if former administration officials were harmed. Fauci’s federal security detail ended Thursday and he has since hired private security, said a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.

Asked about Fauci and former national security adviser John Bolton, Trump said: “They both make a lot of money. They can also hire their own security.

Republican Trump earlier this week withdrew protection details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide Brian Hook, as well as Bolton. All of these countries have faced threats from Iran since taking a hard line against the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration and falling out with him in the years after he left office in 2021.

Fauci was a frequent visitor to Trump during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, but he became critical of Trump after the president sought to undermine public health guidance. Fauci, whose life has been frequently threatened, has been under federal protection for years.

The Biden administration has repeatedly updated the security details of Bolton, Hook and Pompeo amid credible and ongoing threats from Iran. Democratic President Joe Biden has also extended Fauci’s term multiple times due to domestic threats.

“You can’t have security for the rest of your life because you work for the government,” Trump said.