Anthony Fauci

Anthony Fauci
Born	Anthony Stephen Fauci 24 12, 1940
Birthplace	New York City, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Physician-scientist, immunologist
Known for	Director of NIAID (1984–2022), Chief Medical Advisor to the President (2021–2022), HIV/AIDS research, COVID-19 response
Education	Cornell University (M.D.)
Children	3
Awards	Presidential Medal of Freedom (2008)

Anthony Stephen Fauci (born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist whose career in public health spans more than five decades. He served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022, making him one of the longest-serving heads of any major U.S. government research institution. From 2021 to 2022, he simultaneously held the position of Chief Medical Advisor to the President under Joe Biden. Throughout his tenure at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Fauci advised every U.S. president from Ronald Reagan to Biden on matters of infectious disease and public health. He was one of the world's most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals from 1983 to 2002. In 2008, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, for his contributions to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Fauci became a prominent public figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a lead member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and later became a subject of intense political debate regarding pandemic response measures. Since departing government service at the end of 2022, he has continued to engage in public discourse on infectious disease research, public health policy, and medical science.

Early Life

Anthony Stephen Fauci was born on December 24, 1940, in New York City. He grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst in an Italian-American family. His father, Stephen A. Fauci, was a pharmacist, and the family operated a pharmacy in Brooklyn. Fauci grew up in an environment that fostered an early interest in medicine and science.

As a young man, Fauci attended Regis High School, a Jesuit school in Manhattan known for its rigorous academic program. His Jesuit education would continue at the collegiate level and proved formative in shaping his intellectual discipline and approach to inquiry.

Fauci has spoken publicly about how growing up in New York City during the mid-twentieth century influenced his worldview and career aspirations. The combination of his family's connection to the pharmaceutical profession and his rigorous secondary education steered him toward a career in medicine and scientific research.

Education

Fauci completed his undergraduate studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. The institution, a Jesuit liberal arts college, provided him with a broad classical education in addition to his pre-medical studies.

He went on to attend Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medicine) in New York City, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. At Cornell, Fauci graduated first in his class, demonstrating the academic aptitude that would characterize his subsequent career in biomedical research. Following medical school, he completed his internship and residency at New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center before joining the National Institutes of Health in 1968 as a clinical associate at NIAID.

Career

Early Work at NIH and Immunology Research

Fauci joined the National Institutes of Health in 1968, beginning a career in government biomedical research that would last more than half a century. He entered the NIAID as a clinical associate and quickly established himself in the field of immunology, with a particular focus on the regulation of the human immune response.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, Fauci made significant contributions to the understanding of human immunoregulatory mechanisms. His research on vasculitis and other immune-mediated diseases led to the development of effective therapies for formerly fatal conditions such as polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis), and lymphomatoid granulomatosis. His work demonstrated that immunosuppressive agents could be used to treat these diseases, fundamentally changing the prognosis for patients with these conditions.

A 1989 oral history conducted by the NIH documented Fauci's early contributions to immunology research and his growing role within the institute's leadership structure during this period.

Director of NIAID

On November 2, 1984, Fauci was appointed director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, succeeding Richard M. Krause. He would hold this position for 38 years, until his retirement at the end of 2022. His successor as NIAID director was Jeanne Marrazzo.

As NIAID director, Fauci oversaw an extensive research portfolio addressing a wide range of infectious and immune-mediated diseases. He was responsible for managing a budget that grew substantially over the decades, funding basic and applied research on diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola virus disease, Zika virus, and eventually COVID-19. The institute under his leadership supported research conducted both at NIH's own laboratories and through grants to scientists at universities and research institutions worldwide.

Fauci served as an advisor on infectious disease matters to every U.S. president from Ronald Reagan through Joe Biden—a span of seven presidential administrations. His appearances before Congress to testify on public health matters were frequent over the decades, including notable testimony during the Ebola outbreak in 2014, when he appeared before congressional committees alongside the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address concerns about the spread of the virus to the United States.

HIV/AIDS Research and PEPFAR

Fauci's role in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic beginning in the early 1980s became one of the defining aspects of his career. As the AIDS crisis emerged, Fauci reoriented much of his personal research effort toward understanding the mechanisms by which HIV destroys the immune system. His laboratory at NIAID contributed to the scientific understanding of how the virus progressively depletes CD4+ T cells, leading to the profound immunodeficiency that characterizes AIDS.

As NIAID director, Fauci oversaw the development and funding of research programs that contributed to the development of antiretroviral therapies, which transformed HIV/AIDS from a near-certain death sentence into a manageable chronic condition for many patients with access to treatment. His dual role as both a bench scientist studying immunology and a senior government administrator responsible for directing research funding gave him a unique position in the national response to the epidemic.

Fauci's relationship with AIDS activists, particularly Larry Kramer, the founder of ACT UP, became a notable chapter in the history of the epidemic. Initially an adversarial relationship characterized by Kramer's fierce public criticism of what he perceived as the government's inadequate response to AIDS, the dynamic between the two men evolved over time into one of mutual respect and collaboration. This relationship was the subject of a 2026 theatrical production, Kramer/Fauci, directed by Daniel Fish, which used verbatim dialogue from a C-SPAN segment to dramatize their interactions.

Fauci played a key role in the development and implementation of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which was launched by President George W. Bush in 2003. PEPFAR became the largest health initiative by a single nation to combat a single disease, providing antiretroviral treatment and prevention programs to millions of people, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Fauci's contributions to PEPFAR were cited as the primary reason for his receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.

In February 2026, Fauci discussed the ongoing pursuit of an HIV cure and the importance of renewed trust in medical research during a public appearance in Boston.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, brought Fauci to an unprecedented level of public prominence. In February 2020, President Donald Trump named him one of the lead members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, alongside Vice President Mike Pence, who was appointed to head the task force.

As one of the most visible members of the task force, Fauci became a regular presence at White House press briefings, where he provided public updates on the spread of the virus, the status of vaccine development, and recommendations for public health measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing. In March 2020, Fauci publicly stated that the coronavirus outbreak was "going to get worse" in the United States, a message that at times put him at odds with the more optimistic messaging from the Trump administration.

A March 2020 profile in The New York Times described Fauci's role in navigating the pandemic response while managing the complexities of working within the Trump administration. The Atlantic also profiled Fauci during this period, noting his efforts to provide accurate public health information while serving under a president whose statements on the pandemic frequently contradicted his own assessments.

Fauci's public health recommendations were frequently contradicted by President Trump, and Fauci became a polarizing figure in American political discourse. Trump's supporters alleged that Fauci was attempting to politically undermine Trump's reelection campaign through his pandemic messaging and recommendations for lockdowns and other restrictive measures. Fauci received death threats that necessitated a personal security detail.

Chief Medical Advisor to the President

Following the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, Fauci assumed the newly prominent role of Chief Medical Advisor to the President, in addition to his continuing position as NIAID director. He served as one of the lead members of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, working to coordinate the federal government's vaccination campaign and ongoing pandemic mitigation efforts.

Fauci served in both roles until December 31, 2022, when he retired from government service after more than 54 years at the National Institutes of Health.

Post-Government Career

After departing from government service, Fauci continued to be active in public health discourse. In October 2025, he appeared at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum, where he drew on his decades of experience as a global health leader, physician, and advisor to seven U.S. presidents to discuss insights from his career in public service.

In November 2025, Fauci visited Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, for a public conversation on his career and the state of public health.

Congressional Investigations

Following his departure from government, Fauci became the subject of ongoing congressional scrutiny. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who had engaged in pointed exchanges with Fauci during Senate hearings on the pandemic response, continued to pursue investigations into Fauci's conduct as NIAID director. In September 2025, Paul, serving as chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, formally called Fauci to testify before the committee, alleging that new evidence had emerged related to the deletion of official records.

In July 2025, Senator Paul renewed a referral of Fauci to the United States Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, related to allegations regarding Fauci's testimony before Congress.

Personal Life

Fauci married Christine Grady, a nurse and bioethicist who served as the chief of the Department of Bioethics at the NIH Clinical Center. The couple has three daughters.

Fauci has made numerous appearances before congressional committees and on the C-SPAN television network over his decades-long career in government, where his testimony is archived.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci's public profile increased dramatically, making him both one of the most recognized public health officials in American history and a deeply polarizing political figure. He and his family received death threats that required the provision of a security detail by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Recognition

Fauci has received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. In 2008, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in recognition of his work on PEPFAR and his broader contributions to combating infectious diseases globally.

Fauci received the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine, an international award recognizing significant achievements in medical research.

The American Association of Immunologists recognized Fauci with the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the most distinguished honors in the field of immunology.

Fauci was inducted into the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to clinical science and laboratory medicine.

He has received honorary degrees from numerous institutions, including Colgate University, which awarded him an honorary degree in 1996.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America established the Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award in his honor. In 2025, the award was presented to H. Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Fauci was among the world's most frequently cited research scientists from 1983 to 2002, reflecting the broad impact of his research on immunology and infectious diseases across the global scientific community.

Legacy

Anthony Fauci's career at the intersection of biomedical research and public health policy shaped the United States' response to several major infectious disease crises over nearly four decades. His work on immunoregulatory mechanisms contributed to the development of treatments for previously fatal autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. His leadership of NIAID during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and his role in shaping PEPFAR contributed to saving millions of lives in Africa and other regions severely affected by the pandemic.

Fauci's role during the COVID-19 pandemic made him one of the most recognized government officials in the United States. His public communications during the crisis became a focal point of broader debates about the role of scientific expertise in policy-making, the balance between public health measures and economic considerations, and the politicization of medical science in the United States.

The relationship between Fauci and AIDS activists, particularly Larry Kramer, has been cited as a significant example of how confrontational advocacy can ultimately lead to productive collaboration between patient communities and government health officials. The 2026 theatrical production Kramer/Fauci revisited this dynamic, exploring the complexities of public debate and the evolution of their relationship against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis.

Among Fauci's notable mentees was Drew Weissman, who would go on to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023 for his work on mRNA vaccine technology that proved critical to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Fauci's tenure as NIAID director—spanning 38 years and seven presidential administrations—represents one of the longest and most consequential periods of leadership at any major U.S. government scientific institution. His career encompassed responses to HIV/AIDS, anthrax attacks, SARS, H1N1 influenza, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19, making him a central figure in American public health for an era defined by emerging infectious diseases.