Anthony Fauci, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will begin the new year as one of the highest-paid former federal employees in the nation. However, he will no longer have the taxpayer-funded security detail that protected him over the past two years.
Until recently, Fauci was receiving security from the U.S. Marshals Service, which reportedly cost taxpayers $15 million between January 2023 and September 2024, according to documents obtained by Open The Books. However, the federally funded detail has now ended. According to the Daily Mail, Fauci was recently spotted outside his Washington, D.C., home accompanied by what appeared to be a private security guard and, on other occasions, walking alone in his neighborhood.
During his tenure as the federal government’s leading COVID-19 official, Fauci was often surrounded by multiple Marshals, including while recording promotional content for his memoir. With the expiration of government-provided security funding, Fauci now appears to rely on private security services, covering the costs himself.
Fauci, who has a reported net worth of $11 million, resides in a D.C. home valued at $2.2 million. Beyond his personal assets, he continues to collect an annual federal pension of approximately $414,000—surpassing the $400,000 salary of the sitting president.
Criticism of Fauci’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic remains strong, with opponents accusing him of misleading the public about gain-of-function research funded by the National Institutes of Health. Critics argue that this research may have contributed to the pandemic.
Despite his substantial pension and wealth, Fauci’s reliance on a federally funded security detail was viewed by many as excessive. Comparisons have been made to current government officials, such as members of Congress and Supreme Court justices, who receive less security while serving in active roles far beyond Fauci’s unelected position.
Fauci’s critics also contend that his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic—marked by shifting guidance and controversial policies—fueled distrust. These policies, they argue, were “divorced from scientific truth,” yet yielded substantial government funding and personal gain for the former official.
Now, as taxpayers are relieved of the burden of funding Fauci’s security, the discussion continues about government spending and accountability.
