President Donald Trump terminated the security detail of former Chief Medical Advisor to US President Anthony Fauci on Thursday, which was being provided and paid for by the National Institutes of Health, CNN reported.
Following this development, Fauci, who continues to face threats due to his public-facing role during the Covid-19 pandemic, has now hired his private security that he’ll pay for himself, CNN reported citing sources.
This came as Trump was now taking action against the officials who had previously served under him. He has also stripped security details off former National Security Adviser John Bolton and Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump, during an interaction with reporters in North Carolina, defended the move by saying that one can’t have security detail “forever”. “I think, you know, when you work for the 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 the government,” he added. When asked whether he would feel responsible if something happened to Fauci or John Bolton, Trump said he wouldn’t. He added that all the former top officials Have made a “lot of money” and can hire their own security.
“No. You know, they all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security,” Trump said, adding that he knows several good security firms and “can give them some good numbers.
“Certainly, I would not take responsibility,” he said. Since taking oath, Trump has criticised his predecessor, Joe Biden, for preemptively pardoning Fauci as one of his final acts before leaving office.
“Even when individuals have done nothing wrong – and in fact have done the right thing – and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances,” CNN quoted Biden as saying in a statement at the time.
Fauci served in government for decades and was the nation’s top infectious diseases expert for 38 years.
On January 20, Biden announced clemency for high-profile figures such as General Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, and members of Congress who served on the committee investigating the January 6th Capitol attack. These pre-emptive pardons were seen as a defensive measure against any retribution Trump might seek after his inauguration.
