White House coronavirus task force member Anthony Fauci is being given extra security following death threats.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been subject to a growing number of death threats as his public profile continues to grow.
Alex Azar, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, grew concerned about the physician’s safety as online, vitriolic criticism grew and, according to the Washington Post, fans aggressively approached the White House coronavirus task force official asking for autographs.
When asked about the issue at a Wednesday White House press briefing, Fauci declined to comment on reports, instead referring the question to the inspector general at the HHS. However, President Trump interjected to say anyone who would attack Fauci would be in “big trouble.”
“He doesn’t need security. Everybody loves him,” Trump said on the issue. “Besides that, they’d be in big trouble if they ever attacked him.”
Police in Washington, D.C., have also been instructed to pay “special attention” to Fauci’s home after being issued some threats.
DC Police source says officers in district where Dr. Anthony Fauci lives have been told to pay special attention to his home after threats to the doctor. @washingtonpost reports tonight that HHS will provide Fauci security detail due to threats. Latest on @fox5dc at 10/11 pic.twitter.com/6VtbHoQrWW
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) April 2, 2020
Fauci has filled an essential public health role as COVID-19 continues its spread in the U.S. During a White House press briefing last week, Fauci informed the public that COVID-19 could potentially become cyclical with weather patterns.
“The reason I say that is that, what we’re starting to see now in the Southern Hemisphere … is that we’re having cases that are appearing at they go into their winter season. And if, in fact, they have a substantial outbreak, it will be inevitable that we need to be prepared that we’ll get a cycle around the second time,” Fauci said then.
Fauci said that phenomenon necessitates the development of a vaccine in the near future to mitigate future cases of COVID-19. “I know we’ll be successful in putting this down now. But we really need to be prepared for another cycle. And what we’re doing, I believe, will prepare us well,” he concluded.
