White House coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci now has bodyguards. Here’s why
One of the highest profile experts on the White House coronavirus task force, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is getting his own security detail after being threatened, according to multiple reports.
The Justice Department approved a request to dedicate nine special agents to protecting Fauci, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services asked the U.S. Marshals for help protecting the infectious disease specialist who has become a regular voice explaining the federal response to COVID-19, CNN reports.
The U.S. Marshals deputized officers from the Department of Health and Human Services as bodyguards for Fauci, according to CNN.
Officials have not exactly described the nature of the threats, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the story.
The doctor’s advocacy for social distancing and “flattening the curve” of the pandemic has made him a target of people who say he’s trying to undermine President Donald Trump, The New York Times reports.
Conservative commentators have criticized the 79-year-old doctor and dozens of Twitter accounts have tweeted with the hashtag #FauciFraud hundreds of times a day, The Times reports.
According to the Wall Street Journal, “right-wing conspiracy theorists” have been attacking Fauci online, accusing him of being part of a “deep state” intent on undermining the president and his re-election bid.
During Wednesday’s White House coronavirus task force press briefing, Fauci declined to comment on the new security detail.
“Anything that has to do with security detail I would have to have you (ask your question) to the inspector general of HHS,” he said.
President Trump added, “He doesn’t need security. Everybody loves him.”
“Besides that, they’d be in big trouble if they ever attacked,” Trump said.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 5:59 AM with the headline "White House coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci now has bodyguards. Here’s why."
