WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he won’t feel partially responsible if harm befalls former government officials whose security details were cut by his administration after he took office this week.
Trump revoked the security detail of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised Trump on the COVID-19 pandemic but turned critical of Trump once he tried to undermine public health guidance. He faced regular threats to his life and has received federal protection for years, but it was ended this week according to a person familiar with the matter.
“They all made a lot of money, they can hire their own security too,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina.
Trump earlier this week revoked protection details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, as well his own former national security adviser John Bolton, who have faced threats from Iran since they took hardline stances on the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration. All three have fallen out with Trump in the years since he left office.
Their security details had been repeatedly renewed by the Biden administration because of credible and ongoing threats from Iran.
“You can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life because you worked for government,” Trump said.
A source told CNN that Fauci’s security detail was being provided and paid for by the National Institutes of Health until Thursday night. He has now reportedly hired his own private security that he’ll pay for himself, CNN reported.