Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci has received $15 million in taxpayer-funded security since his retirement, according to a report from Open the Books.
The arrangement was discovered in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
According to the memo, protection was available between January 2, 2023, and September 30, 2024.
“This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets forth the understanding of the obligations and goals of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) relating to protective services for Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases prior to and after his retirement from federal service,” the document says.
It adds that the MOU “may be extended or renewed for future fiscal years by the mutual, written consent of both parties.”
Open the Books explained that the millions of dollars cover “salaries and benefits for deputies and administrative personnel assigned to Fauci’s protective detail,” “costs related to transporting Fauci,” and “law enforcement equipment.”
“It is unclear how unusual the arrangement between Health and Human Services and the U.S. Marshals Service may be,” Open the Books wrote. “We could find no other cases of a former federal employee receiving this level of protection.”
While Fauci has received protection while no longer working for the government, the Biden administration initially denied Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Secret Service protection while he campaigned for U.S. President.
Protection has been in place for presidential candidates since his father’s assassination in 1968.
“Typical turnaround time for pro forma protection requests from presidential candidates is 14-days. After 88-days of no response and after several follow-ups by our campaign, the Biden Administration just denied our request,” he said earlier this year.
After the July 13 assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump, Kennedy was granted Secret Service protection.
Kennedy’s protection was later withdrawn after he ended his presidential campaign.
