Fauci, Bolton, Pompeo:People Who Donald Trump Revoked Security Details For
President Donald Trump has decided to revoke the security protection for former top US health official Anthony Fauci, who has received death threats following his leadership of the country’s COVID-19 response.
“You can’t have a security detail for life just because you worked for the government,” Trump told reporters on Friday when questioned about the decision. “It’s very standard.”
Additionally, Trump has removed security protections for his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, and ex-envoy Brian Hook, all of whom had faced threats from Iran.
Dr. Fauci has since hired a private security team at his own expense, according to US media reports.
When asked if he felt responsible for the safety of these officials, Trump remarked on Friday, “They all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security too.”
Previously, Dr. Fauci’s security was handled by federal marshals and later by a private security firm funded by the government, as reported by the New York Times.
One of Fauci’s prominent Republican critics, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, had called for his security to be revoked. On Thursday, he posted on X, stating that he had “sent supporting information to end the 24-hour limo and security detail for Fauci.”
“I wish him nothing but peace but he needs to pay for his own limos,” he said.
Trump has also revoked the security clearances of 51 intelligence officials who had claimed that Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
Under US protocol, former presidents and their spouses are granted security protection for life. But protection for other US officials is decided based on the threat assessment from the intelligence community.
As the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Fauci faced death threats during and after the coronavirus pandemic, as well as criticism from Republicans over mask mandates and other Covid restrictions.
He led the institute for 40 years, including during Trump’s first term. Trump had also awarded presidential commendations to Dr Fauci who served on the Operation Warp Speed task force during the pandemic.
Before leaving office, then-President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Dr Fauci.
The doctor told US media that he “truly appreciated” Biden for taking action, adding that the possibility of prosecution had created “immeasurable and intolerable distress” on his family.
“Let me be perfectly clear, I have committed no crime and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,” he said.
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