Anthony Fauci: Difference between revisions

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| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| occupation = Physician-scientist, immunologist
| 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
| known_for = Director of NIAID (1984–2022), HIV/AIDS research, COVID-19 pandemic response, Chief Medical Advisor to the President (2021–2022)
| education = [[Cornell University]] (M.D.)
| education = [[Cornell University]] (M.D.)
| children = 3
| children = 3
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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.<ref name="niaid-bio">{{cite web |title=Director's Biography |url=http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/ |publisher=National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> 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.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive">{{cite web |title=Director's Biography |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030171118/http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/ |publisher=National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (archived) |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> 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).<ref name="pepfar">{{cite web |title=The Making of PEPFAR |url=http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/article/2013/making-pepfar |publisher=Science & Diplomacy |date=2013 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> 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.
'''Anthony Stephen Fauci''' (born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist who 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 federal agency in United States history. Over a career spanning more than five decades in public health, Fauci advised every U.S. president from [[Ronald Reagan]] to [[Joe Biden]] on matters of infectious disease and public health policy.<ref name="niaid-bio">{{cite web |title=Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director |url=http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/ |publisher=National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He became a central figure in the nation's response to the [[HIV/AIDS]] epidemic in the 1980s, the [[Ebola virus disease|Ebola]] outbreak of 2014, and the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] beginning in 2020. In 2008, President [[George W. Bush]] awarded Fauci 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).<ref name="achievement">{{cite web |title=Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. |url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-s-fauci-m-d/#interview |publisher=Academy of Achievement |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Between 1983 and 2002, Fauci was one of the most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals worldwide.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive">{{cite web |title=Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030171118/http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/ |publisher=National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (archived) |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> From January 2021 to December 2022, he also served as Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, a role in which he helped coordinate the federal government's COVID-19 response and vaccination campaign.


== Early Life ==
== 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.<ref name="holycross">{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci |url=http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer02/features/fauci_sidebar.html |publisher=College of the Holy Cross |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> 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.
Anthony Stephen Fauci was born on December 24, 1940, in [[New York City]].<ref name="niaid-bio" /> He grew up in the [[Brooklyn]] neighborhood of [[Bensonhurst]] in an Italian-American family. His father, Stephen A. Fauci, was a pharmacist, and young Anthony worked in the family pharmacy as a delivery boy during his youth.<ref name="holycross">{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci |url=http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer02/features/fauci_sidebar.html |publisher=College of the Holy Cross |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Growing up in a household connected to medicine and healthcare through the family business provided Fauci with early exposure to the medical profession.


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.<ref name="holycross" />
Fauci attended Regis High School, a Jesuit school in Manhattan known for its rigorous academic program. His Jesuit education instilled a sense of intellectual discipline and ethical commitment that he later credited as formative influences on his approach to science and public service.<ref name="holycross" /> As a young man, Fauci was also an athlete; he was the captain of his high school basketball team despite his relatively modest physical stature.<ref name="atlantic-profile">{{cite web |title=How the Pandemic Broke Anthony Fauci |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/03/anthony-fauci-covid-19-trump-and-staying-healthy/608554/ |work=The Atlantic |date=2020-03-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref name="achievement">{{cite web |title=Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. |url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-s-fauci-m-d/#interview |publisher=Academy of Achievement |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The combination of his family background in pharmacy, his Jesuit education, and his competitive drive as a student-athlete set the stage for a career defined by scientific rigor and sustained public engagement. His upbringing in a tightly-knit Italian-American community in Brooklyn also shaped his direct and forthright communication style, which would later become a defining characteristic of his public persona during health crises.


== Education ==
== 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.<ref name="holycross" />
Fauci pursued his undergraduate studies at the [[College of the Holy Cross]] in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], where he earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1962. At Holy Cross, he studied classics and was a pre-medical student, receiving a broad liberal arts education that complemented his scientific training.<ref name="holycross" />


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.<ref name="niaid-bio" /> 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.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />
He subsequently enrolled at [[Cornell University Medical College]] (now [[Weill Cornell Medicine]]) in [[New York City]], where he earned his [[Doctor of Medicine]] degree in 1966. Fauci graduated first in his class at Cornell.<ref name="niaid-bio" /><ref name="achievement" /> After completing his medical degree, he undertook his internship and residency at the [[New York Hospital]]–Cornell Medical Center, completing his clinical training before transitioning into research at the [[National Institutes of Health]] (NIH).
 
In 1968, Fauci joined the NIH as a clinical associate at the NIAID, beginning what would become a career of more than fifty years at the institution.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" /> His early research at the NIH focused on the human immune system and the mechanisms underlying immunoregulation, work that would lay the foundation for his later contributions to understanding immunodeficiency diseases.


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early Work at NIH and Immunology Research ===
=== Early Research and Immunology ===


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.<ref name="niaid-bio" />
Upon joining the NIAID in 1968, Fauci began conducting research on the human immune response, with particular focus on the mechanisms of immunologically mediated diseases. His early work centered on vasculitis syndromes and other inflammatory conditions. Fauci developed effective therapies for formerly fatal diseases such as [[polyarteritis nodosa]], [[granulomatosis with polyangiitis]] (Wegener's granulomatosis), and [[lymphomatoid granulomatosis]].<ref name="niaid-bio" /><ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />


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]].<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" /> His work demonstrated that immunosuppressive agents could be used to treat these diseases, fundamentally changing the prognosis for patients with these conditions.
His research into the regulation of the human immune response proved foundational to the field of immunology. Through a series of studies, Fauci elucidated the mechanisms by which immunosuppressive agents modulate the human immune response, contributing to the understanding of how the immune system can be both activated and suppressed.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" /> This body of work established him as a leading figure in immunology and positioned him to play a central role in the scientific response to new infectious disease threats.
 
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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fauci Oral History, 1989 |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409183210/https://history.nih.gov/NIHInOwnWords/assets/media/pdf/Fauci89.pdf |publisher=National Institutes of Health (archived) |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Director of NIAID ===
=== 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]].<ref name="niaid-bio" />
On November 2, 1984, Fauci was appointed director of the NIAID, succeeding Richard M. Krause. He would hold this position for 38 years, until his retirement on December 31, 2022.<ref name="niaid-bio" /> As director, Fauci oversaw an extensive research portfolio dedicated to preventing, diagnosing, and treating infectious and immune-mediated diseases. Under his leadership, NIAID's annual budget grew substantially, supporting research programs in areas including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola, Zika virus, and respiratory infections.


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.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />
Throughout his tenure, Fauci was known for continuing to operate his own laboratory at the NIH while simultaneously directing the institute — an unusual arrangement that reflected his commitment to maintaining an active presence in scientific research alongside his administrative responsibilities.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />


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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ebola Congressional Hearing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/16/ebola-congress-hearing-cdc-director |work=The Guardian |date=2014-10-16 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=More Ebola Screening Possible for United States |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/10/06/more-ebola-screening-possible-for-united-states |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=2014-10-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Fauci's successor as NIAID director was Jeanne Marrazzo, who assumed the position after Fauci's departure.


=== HIV/AIDS Research and PEPFAR ===
=== HIV/AIDS Epidemic ===


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.<ref name="niaid-bio" />
Fauci's role in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which emerged in the early 1980s, became one of the defining chapters of his career. As the epidemic unfolded, Fauci redirected much of NIAID's research efforts toward understanding the newly identified virus and its effects on the immune system. He made significant contributions to understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of HIV and the body's immune response to the virus.<ref name="niaid-bio" />


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.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />
In the early years of the crisis, Fauci faced intense criticism from AIDS activists, most notably the playwright and activist [[Larry Kramer]], who publicly attacked him for what they perceived as an inadequate and slow federal response to the epidemic. Kramer famously called Fauci a "murderer" and an "incompetent idiot" in open letters and public statements.<ref name="nyt-kramer-fauci">{{cite news |title='Kramer/Fauci' Revisits a Sparring Match During the AIDS Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/theater/larry-kramer-anthony-fauci-daniel-fish-aids.html |work=The New York Times |date=2026-02-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> However, rather than dismissing the activists, Fauci engaged with them, ultimately forging a productive relationship with Kramer and the broader AIDS activist community. This engagement led to changes in how clinical trials were designed and how patients could access experimental treatments.<ref name="nyt-kramer-fauci" />


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.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-12 |title='Kramer/Fauci' Revisits a Sparring Match During the AIDS Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/theater/larry-kramer-anthony-fauci-daniel-fish-aids.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-21 |title=The Most American Form of Theater |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/02/kramer-fauci-theater-review-buckley-vidal-debate/686080/ |work=The Atlantic |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The complex relationship between Fauci and Kramer became the subject of a 2026 theatrical production titled ''Kramer/Fauci'', directed by Daniel Fish, which was based on a verbatim staging of a C-SPAN segment featuring the two men. The production explored the dynamics of their sparring match and the broader context of public debate during the AIDS crisis.<ref name="nyt-kramer-fauci" /><ref name="atlantic-theater">{{cite web |title=The Most American Form of Theater |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/02/kramer-fauci-theater-review-buckley-vidal-debate/686080/ |work=The Atlantic |date=2026-02-21 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref name="pepfar" /> Fauci's contributions to PEPFAR were cited as the primary reason for his receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.
Fauci also played a key role in the development of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which was launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush. PEPFAR became the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, providing antiretroviral treatment, care, and prevention services to millions of people affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.<ref name="pepfar">{{cite web |title=Making PEPFAR |url=http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/article/2013/making-pepfar |publisher=Science & Diplomacy |date=2013 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> It was for his work on PEPFAR that Fauci received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.<ref name="achievement" />


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-19 |title=Fauci discusses HIV cure, renewed trust in medical research |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/fauci-corey-hiv-vaccine-boston/70425917 |work=WCVB |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Ebola Response ===


=== COVID-19 Pandemic Response ===
During the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Fauci served as a prominent public face of the U.S. government's response. He testified before Congress on the outbreak and the federal government's preparedness efforts, providing expert guidance on the risks posed by the virus and the measures necessary to contain its spread.<ref name="guardian-ebola">{{cite news |title=Ebola congress hearing: CDC director |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/16/ebola-congress-hearing-cdc-director |work=The Guardian |date=2014-10-16 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="usnews-ebola">{{cite news |title=More Ebola screening possible for United States |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/10/06/more-ebola-screening-possible-for-united-states |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=2014-10-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-02-27 |title=Coronavirus: What we know about Mike Pence and the task force |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/27/coronavirus-what-we-know-mike-pence-and-task-force/4891905002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Fauci's public communications during the Ebola crisis emphasized evidence-based approaches and sought to counteract public fear with factual information about the virus's transmission and the effectiveness of containment measures. His role during this period further solidified his position as a trusted voice in public health emergencies.


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-03-11 |title=Top federal health official says coronavirus outbreak is going to get worse in the U.S. |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/top-federal-health-official-says-coronavirus-outbreak-is-going-to-get-worse-in-the-us.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== COVID-19 Pandemic ===


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-03-08 |title=Fauci and Coronavirus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/08/health/fauci-coronavirus.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-03 |title=Anthony Fauci, COVID-19, Trump, and Staying Healthy |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/03/anthony-fauci-covid-19-trump-and-staying-healthy/608554/ |work=The Atlantic |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The [[COVID-19 pandemic]], which began in early 2020, brought Fauci unprecedented public visibility. In late February 2020, President [[Donald Trump]] announced the formation of the [[White House Coronavirus Task Force]], and Fauci served as one of its lead members.<ref name="usatoday-taskforce">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-02-27 |title=Coronavirus: What we know about Mike Pence and the task force |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/27/coronavirus-what-we-know-mike-pence-and-task-force/4891905002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref name="niaid-bio" />
From the early days of the pandemic, Fauci became one of the most prominent figures in the national response, providing regular briefings and media appearances in which he offered scientific assessments of the outbreak's trajectory. In March 2020, he told the [[U.S. Congress]] and public media that the outbreak was "going to get worse" in the United States, urging swift action to mitigate the spread of the virus.<ref name="cnbc-worse">{{cite news |title=Top federal health official says coronavirus outbreak is going to get worse in the US |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/top-federal-health-official-says-coronavirus-outbreak-is-going-to-get-worse-in-the-us.html |work=CNBC |date=2020-03-11 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Chief Medical Advisor to the President ===
Fauci's public statements during the pandemic sometimes stood in contrast to the messaging of President Trump, creating a highly visible tension between the scientific and political dimensions of the crisis. His emphasis on the severity of the virus, the importance of social distancing measures, and the need for mask-wearing diverged from the more optimistic assessments offered by the president.<ref name="nyt-fauci-2020">{{cite news |title=Fauci and Coronavirus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/08/health/fauci-coronavirus.html |work=The New York Times |date=2020-03-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Supporters of President Trump alleged that Fauci was attempting to politically undermine Trump's reelection campaign, while public health advocates argued that Fauci was fulfilling his obligation to provide accurate scientific information regardless of political considerations.


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.
Following the inauguration of President [[Joe Biden]] in January 2021, Fauci assumed the newly formalized role of Chief Medical Advisor to the President, in addition to continuing as NIAID director. In this dual capacity, he served as one of the lead members of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, helping to coordinate the federal vaccination campaign and ongoing pandemic mitigation efforts. He held both positions until his retirement on December 31, 2022.


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 ===


=== Post-Government Career ===
Following his retirement from federal service, Fauci has continued to engage publicly on matters of infectious disease and public health. In October 2025, he participated in the Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum at the [[Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health]], where he shared insights from his five decades of public service as a global health leader, physician, and advisor to seven U.S. presidents.<ref name="harvard-forum">{{cite web |title=Dr. Anthony Fauci: Insights from 50 years of public service |url=https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/dr-anthony-fauci-insights-from-50-years-of-public-service/ |publisher=Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr. Anthony Fauci: Insights from 50 years of public service |url=https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/dr-anthony-fauci-insights-from-50-years-of-public-service/ |publisher=Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In November 2025, Fauci spoke at Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, drawing on decades of experience in a public conversation about science, public health, and civic engagement.<ref name="wjw-bethel">{{cite news |title=Decades of Wisdom on Display as Dr. Anthony Fauci Visits Beth El Hebrew |url=https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/decades-of-wisdom-on-display-as-dr-anthony-fauci-visits-beth-el-hebrew/ |work=Washington Jewish Week |date=2025-12-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-01 |title=Decades of Wisdom on Display as Dr. Anthony Fauci Visits Beth El Hebrew |url=https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/decades-of-wisdom-on-display-as-dr-anthony-fauci-visits-beth-el-hebrew/ |work=Washington Jewish Week |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In February 2026, Fauci discussed progress toward an HIV cure and the importance of renewed trust in medical research during a public appearance in Boston.<ref name="wcvb-hiv">{{cite news |title=Fauci discusses HIV cure, renewed trust in medical research |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/fauci-corey-hiv-vaccine-boston/70425917 |work=WCVB |date=2026-02-19 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Congressional Investigations ===
=== 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chairman Rand Paul Uncovers New Evidence of Fauci Deleting Official Records, Calls Him to Testify Before HSGAC |url=https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/chairman-rand-paul-uncovers-new-evidence-of-fauci-deleting-official-records-calls-him-to-testify-before-hsgac/ |publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs |date=2025-09-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Following his departure from government, Fauci became the subject of ongoing congressional scrutiny. Senator [[Rand Paul]] (R-KY), who had clashed with Fauci during Senate hearings throughout the pandemic, continued to pursue inquiries into Fauci's conduct as NIAID director. In September 2025, Paul, serving as Chairman of the [[Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee]], formally called Fauci to testify before the committee, citing what he described as new evidence that Fauci had deleted official records.<ref name="hsgac-records">{{cite web |title=Chairman Rand Paul Uncovers New Evidence of Fauci Deleting Official Records, Calls Him to Testify Before HSGAC |url=https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/chairman-rand-paul-uncovers-new-evidence-of-fauci-deleting-official-records-calls-him-to-testify-before-hsgac/ |publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs |date=2025-09-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Senator Rand Paul Re-Refers Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice |url=https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/senator-rand-paul-re-refers-dr-anthony-fauci-to-the-department-of-justice/ |publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs |date=2025-07-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In July 2025, Paul renewed his referral of Fauci to the [[United States Department of Justice]] for what he described as potential criminal prosecution.<ref name="hsgac-referral">{{cite web |title=Senator Rand Paul Re-Refers Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice |url=https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/senator-rand-paul-re-refers-dr-anthony-fauci-to-the-department-of-justice/ |publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs |date=2025-07-14 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== 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.<ref name="niaid-bio" />
Anthony Fauci has three children.<ref name="niaid-bio" /> He resides in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, where he has lived since joining the NIH in 1968.


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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci |url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?anthonyfauci |publisher=C-SPAN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci became one of the most recognizable figures in American public life, a status that brought both public admiration and intense personal scrutiny. He and his family received death threats during the pandemic, necessitating a security detail.<ref name="atlantic-profile" />


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.
Fauci has spoken publicly about the influence of his Jesuit education on his approach to ethics and public service, and has cited his upbringing in a close-knit Italian-American family as a formative influence on his character and communication style.<ref name="holycross" />


== Recognition ==
== 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.<ref name="pepfar" />
Fauci has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. The most significant of these is the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], awarded to him by President George W. Bush in 2008 in recognition of his contributions to the PEPFAR program and his broader work in combating HIV/AIDS globally.<ref name="achievement" />


Fauci received the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine, an international award recognizing significant achievements in medical research.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine – All Prize Winners |url=http://www.jung-stiftung.de/en/die-jung-stiftung-1/ernst-jung-preis-fuer-medizin/alle-preistraeger |publisher=Jung Foundation for Science and Research |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Between 1983 and 2002, Fauci was one of the most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals in the world, according to the Institute for Scientific Information.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />


The [[American Association of Immunologists]] recognized Fauci with the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the most distinguished honors in the field of immunology.<ref>{{cite web |title=AAI Lifetime Achievement Award – Past Recipients |url=https://www.aai.org/Awards/Career-Awards/AAI-Lifetime-Achievement-Award/Past-Recipients.aspx |publisher=American Association of Immunologists |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Fauci has been inducted into the [[American Association for Clinical Chemistry]] (AACC) Hall of Fame.<ref name="aacc">{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci — AACC Hall of Fame |url=https://www.aacc.org/Community/Awards/Hall-of-Fame/Bios/A-to-K/Anthony-Fauci.aspx |publisher=American Association for Clinical Chemistry |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the [[American Association of Immunologists]].<ref name="aai">{{cite web |title=AAI Lifetime Achievement Award — Past Recipients |url=https://www.aai.org/Awards/Career-Awards/AAI-Lifetime-Achievement-Award/Past-Recipients.aspx |publisher=American Association of Immunologists |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci – AACC Hall of Fame |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102191524/https://www.aacc.org/Community/Awards/Hall-of-Fame/Bios/A-to-K/Anthony-Fauci.aspx |publisher=American Association for Clinical Chemistry (archived) |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
He has been awarded the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine.<ref name="jung">{{cite web |title=Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine — All Laureates |url=http://www.jung-stiftung.de/en/die-jung-stiftung-1/ernst-jung-preis-fuer-medizin/alle-preistraeger |publisher=Jung Foundation for Science and Research |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


He has received honorary degrees from numerous institutions, including [[Colgate University]], which awarded him an honorary degree in 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Degrees, July 1996 |url=http://www4.colgate.edu/scene/july1996/honorary-degrees.html |publisher=Colgate University |date=1996-07 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2025, the [[Infectious Diseases Society of America]] named its Courage in Leadership Award after Fauci. The inaugural Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award was presented to H. Keipp Talbot, M.D., M.P.H., of [[Vanderbilt University Medical Center]].<ref name="vumc-award">{{cite web |title=Keipp Talbot wins Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award |url=https://news.vumc.org/2025/11/05/keipp-talbot-wins-anthony-fauci-courage-in-leadership-award/ |publisher=Vanderbilt University Medical Center |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Keipp Talbot wins Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award |url=https://news.vumc.org/2025/11/05/keipp-talbot-wins-anthony-fauci-courage-in-leadership-award/ |publisher=Vanderbilt University Medical Center |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Fauci has received numerous honorary degrees from institutions including [[Colgate University]], which awarded him an honorary degree in 1996.<ref name="colgate">{{cite web |title=Honorary Degrees |url=http://www4.colgate.edu/scene/july1996/honorary-degrees.html |publisher=Colgate University |date=1996-07 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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.<ref name="niaid-bio-archive" />
His decades of public appearances before Congress and in media are documented in an extensive archive of C-SPAN appearances spanning multiple administrations.<ref name="cspan">{{cite web |title=Anthony Fauci |url=https://www.c-span.org/person/?anthonyfauci |publisher=C-SPAN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== 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.<ref name="pepfar" />
Anthony Fauci's career at the intersection of scientific research and public health policy spans more than five decades and encompasses several of the most consequential infectious disease crises of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. His tenure as NIAID director from 1984 to 2022 represents one of the longest periods of continuous leadership at a major U.S. federal research institution.


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.
Fauci's approach to the HIV/AIDS crisis — marked by an initial period of tension with activists followed by substantive engagement and policy reform — became a model for the relationship between government health agencies and patient advocacy groups. His willingness to listen to activists like Larry Kramer and incorporate their concerns into the design of clinical trials and drug approval processes helped reshape federal approaches to experimental treatment access.<ref name="nyt-kramer-fauci" /> The 2026 theatrical production ''Kramer/Fauci'' reflected the enduring significance of this relationship in the history of American public health and civil society.<ref name="atlantic-theater" />


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.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-12 |title='Kramer/Fauci' Revisits a Sparring Match During the AIDS Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/theater/larry-kramer-anthony-fauci-daniel-fish-aids.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
His contributions to PEPFAR helped establish a global framework for combating HIV/AIDS in the developing world, and the program is credited with saving millions of lives in Africa and other regions heavily affected by the epidemic.<ref name="pepfar" />


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.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci became a polarizing figure in American politics, viewed by some as a steady voice of scientific authority and by others as a symbol of government overreach. The congressional inquiries led by Senator Rand Paul in 2025 reflected the degree to which Fauci's role during the pandemic remained a subject of political contention after his departure from government service.<ref name="hsgac-referral" /><ref name="hsgac-records" />


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 virus disease|Ebola]], [[Zika virus|Zika]], and COVID-19, making him a central figure in American public health for an era defined by emerging infectious diseases.
The naming of the Infectious Diseases Society of America's Courage in Leadership Award after Fauci in 2025 reflected the medical community's recognition of his sustained contributions to the field.<ref name="vumc-award" /> His post-retirement engagements at institutions such as Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health have continued to draw attention to issues of infectious disease preparedness and trust in medical research.<ref name="harvard-forum" />
 
Notable among Fauci's scientific mentees is [[Drew Weissman]], whose work on mRNA technology contributed to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.


== References ==
== References ==
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Latest revision as of 04:18, 24 February 2026


Anthony Fauci
BornAnthony Stephen Fauci
24 12, 1940
BirthplaceNew York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPhysician-scientist, immunologist
Known forDirector of NIAID (1984–2022), HIV/AIDS research, COVID-19 pandemic response, Chief Medical Advisor to the President (2021–2022)
EducationCornell University (M.D.)
Children3
AwardsPresidential Medal of Freedom (2008)

Anthony Stephen Fauci (born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist who 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 federal agency in United States history. Over a career spanning more than five decades in public health, Fauci advised every U.S. president from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden on matters of infectious disease and public health policy.[1] He became a central figure in the nation's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, the Ebola outbreak of 2014, and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020. In 2008, President George W. Bush awarded Fauci 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).[2] Between 1983 and 2002, Fauci was one of the most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals worldwide.[3] From January 2021 to December 2022, he also served as Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, a role in which he helped coordinate the federal government's COVID-19 response and vaccination campaign.

Early Life

Anthony Stephen Fauci was born on December 24, 1940, in New York City.[1] He grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst in an Italian-American family. His father, Stephen A. Fauci, was a pharmacist, and young Anthony worked in the family pharmacy as a delivery boy during his youth.[4] Growing up in a household connected to medicine and healthcare through the family business provided Fauci with early exposure to the medical profession.

Fauci attended Regis High School, a Jesuit school in Manhattan known for its rigorous academic program. His Jesuit education instilled a sense of intellectual discipline and ethical commitment that he later credited as formative influences on his approach to science and public service.[4] As a young man, Fauci was also an athlete; he was the captain of his high school basketball team despite his relatively modest physical stature.[5]

The combination of his family background in pharmacy, his Jesuit education, and his competitive drive as a student-athlete set the stage for a career defined by scientific rigor and sustained public engagement. His upbringing in a tightly-knit Italian-American community in Brooklyn also shaped his direct and forthright communication style, which would later become a defining characteristic of his public persona during health crises.

Education

Fauci pursued his undergraduate studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962. At Holy Cross, he studied classics and was a pre-medical student, receiving a broad liberal arts education that complemented his scientific training.[4]

He subsequently enrolled at Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medicine) in New York City, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1966. Fauci graduated first in his class at Cornell.[1][2] After completing his medical degree, he undertook his internship and residency at the New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center, completing his clinical training before transitioning into research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

In 1968, Fauci joined the NIH as a clinical associate at the NIAID, beginning what would become a career of more than fifty years at the institution.[3] His early research at the NIH focused on the human immune system and the mechanisms underlying immunoregulation, work that would lay the foundation for his later contributions to understanding immunodeficiency diseases.

Career

Early Research and Immunology

Upon joining the NIAID in 1968, Fauci began conducting research on the human immune response, with particular focus on the mechanisms of immunologically mediated diseases. His early work centered on vasculitis syndromes and other inflammatory conditions. Fauci developed effective therapies for formerly fatal diseases such as polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis), and lymphomatoid granulomatosis.[1][3]

His research into the regulation of the human immune response proved foundational to the field of immunology. Through a series of studies, Fauci elucidated the mechanisms by which immunosuppressive agents modulate the human immune response, contributing to the understanding of how the immune system can be both activated and suppressed.[3] This body of work established him as a leading figure in immunology and positioned him to play a central role in the scientific response to new infectious disease threats.

Director of NIAID

On November 2, 1984, Fauci was appointed director of the NIAID, succeeding Richard M. Krause. He would hold this position for 38 years, until his retirement on December 31, 2022.[1] As director, Fauci oversaw an extensive research portfolio dedicated to preventing, diagnosing, and treating infectious and immune-mediated diseases. Under his leadership, NIAID's annual budget grew substantially, supporting research programs in areas including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola, Zika virus, and respiratory infections.

Throughout his tenure, Fauci was known for continuing to operate his own laboratory at the NIH while simultaneously directing the institute — an unusual arrangement that reflected his commitment to maintaining an active presence in scientific research alongside his administrative responsibilities.[3]

Fauci's successor as NIAID director was Jeanne Marrazzo, who assumed the position after Fauci's departure.

HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Fauci's role in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which emerged in the early 1980s, became one of the defining chapters of his career. As the epidemic unfolded, Fauci redirected much of NIAID's research efforts toward understanding the newly identified virus and its effects on the immune system. He made significant contributions to understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of HIV and the body's immune response to the virus.[1]

In the early years of the crisis, Fauci faced intense criticism from AIDS activists, most notably the playwright and activist Larry Kramer, who publicly attacked him for what they perceived as an inadequate and slow federal response to the epidemic. Kramer famously called Fauci a "murderer" and an "incompetent idiot" in open letters and public statements.[6] However, rather than dismissing the activists, Fauci engaged with them, ultimately forging a productive relationship with Kramer and the broader AIDS activist community. This engagement led to changes in how clinical trials were designed and how patients could access experimental treatments.[6]

The complex relationship between Fauci and Kramer became the subject of a 2026 theatrical production titled Kramer/Fauci, directed by Daniel Fish, which was based on a verbatim staging of a C-SPAN segment featuring the two men. The production explored the dynamics of their sparring match and the broader context of public debate during the AIDS crisis.[6][7]

Fauci also played a key role in the development of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which was launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush. PEPFAR became the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, providing antiretroviral treatment, care, and prevention services to millions of people affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.[8] It was for his work on PEPFAR that Fauci received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.[2]

Ebola Response

During the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Fauci served as a prominent public face of the U.S. government's response. He testified before Congress on the outbreak and the federal government's preparedness efforts, providing expert guidance on the risks posed by the virus and the measures necessary to contain its spread.[9][10]

Fauci's public communications during the Ebola crisis emphasized evidence-based approaches and sought to counteract public fear with factual information about the virus's transmission and the effectiveness of containment measures. His role during this period further solidified his position as a trusted voice in public health emergencies.

COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, brought Fauci unprecedented public visibility. In late February 2020, President Donald Trump announced the formation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and Fauci served as one of its lead members.[11]

From the early days of the pandemic, Fauci became one of the most prominent figures in the national response, providing regular briefings and media appearances in which he offered scientific assessments of the outbreak's trajectory. In March 2020, he told the U.S. Congress and public media that the outbreak was "going to get worse" in the United States, urging swift action to mitigate the spread of the virus.[12]

Fauci's public statements during the pandemic sometimes stood in contrast to the messaging of President Trump, creating a highly visible tension between the scientific and political dimensions of the crisis. His emphasis on the severity of the virus, the importance of social distancing measures, and the need for mask-wearing diverged from the more optimistic assessments offered by the president.[13] Supporters of President Trump alleged that Fauci was attempting to politically undermine Trump's reelection campaign, while public health advocates argued that Fauci was fulfilling his obligation to provide accurate scientific information regardless of political considerations.

Following the inauguration of President Joe Biden in January 2021, Fauci assumed the newly formalized role of Chief Medical Advisor to the President, in addition to continuing as NIAID director. In this dual capacity, he served as one of the lead members of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, helping to coordinate the federal vaccination campaign and ongoing pandemic mitigation efforts. He held both positions until his retirement on December 31, 2022.

Post-Government Career

Following his retirement from federal service, Fauci has continued to engage publicly on matters of infectious disease and public health. In October 2025, he participated in the Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he shared insights from his five decades of public service as a global health leader, physician, and advisor to seven U.S. presidents.[14]

In November 2025, Fauci spoke at Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia, drawing on decades of experience in a public conversation about science, public health, and civic engagement.[15]

In February 2026, Fauci discussed progress toward an HIV cure and the importance of renewed trust in medical research during a public appearance in Boston.[16]

Congressional Investigations

Following his departure from government, Fauci became the subject of ongoing congressional scrutiny. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who had clashed with Fauci during Senate hearings throughout the pandemic, continued to pursue inquiries into Fauci's conduct as NIAID director. In September 2025, Paul, serving as Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, formally called Fauci to testify before the committee, citing what he described as new evidence that Fauci had deleted official records.[17]

In July 2025, Paul renewed his referral of Fauci to the United States Department of Justice for what he described as potential criminal prosecution.[18]

Personal Life

Anthony Fauci has three children.[1] He resides in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, where he has lived since joining the NIH in 1968.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci became one of the most recognizable figures in American public life, a status that brought both public admiration and intense personal scrutiny. He and his family received death threats during the pandemic, necessitating a security detail.[5]

Fauci has spoken publicly about the influence of his Jesuit education on his approach to ethics and public service, and has cited his upbringing in a close-knit Italian-American family as a formative influence on his character and communication style.[4]

Recognition

Fauci has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. The most significant of these is the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded to him by President George W. Bush in 2008 in recognition of his contributions to the PEPFAR program and his broader work in combating HIV/AIDS globally.[2]

Between 1983 and 2002, Fauci was one of the most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals in the world, according to the Institute for Scientific Information.[3]

Fauci has been inducted into the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Hall of Fame.[19] He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Immunologists.[20]

He has been awarded the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine.[21]

In 2025, the Infectious Diseases Society of America named its Courage in Leadership Award after Fauci. The inaugural Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award was presented to H. Keipp Talbot, M.D., M.P.H., of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.[22]

Fauci has received numerous honorary degrees from institutions including Colgate University, which awarded him an honorary degree in 1996.[23]

His decades of public appearances before Congress and in media are documented in an extensive archive of C-SPAN appearances spanning multiple administrations.[24]

Legacy

Anthony Fauci's career at the intersection of scientific research and public health policy spans more than five decades and encompasses several of the most consequential infectious disease crises of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. His tenure as NIAID director from 1984 to 2022 represents one of the longest periods of continuous leadership at a major U.S. federal research institution.

Fauci's approach to the HIV/AIDS crisis — marked by an initial period of tension with activists followed by substantive engagement and policy reform — became a model for the relationship between government health agencies and patient advocacy groups. His willingness to listen to activists like Larry Kramer and incorporate their concerns into the design of clinical trials and drug approval processes helped reshape federal approaches to experimental treatment access.[6] The 2026 theatrical production Kramer/Fauci reflected the enduring significance of this relationship in the history of American public health and civil society.[7]

His contributions to PEPFAR helped establish a global framework for combating HIV/AIDS in the developing world, and the program is credited with saving millions of lives in Africa and other regions heavily affected by the epidemic.[8]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci became a polarizing figure in American politics, viewed by some as a steady voice of scientific authority and by others as a symbol of government overreach. The congressional inquiries led by Senator Rand Paul in 2025 reflected the degree to which Fauci's role during the pandemic remained a subject of political contention after his departure from government service.[18][17]

The naming of the Infectious Diseases Society of America's Courage in Leadership Award after Fauci in 2025 reflected the medical community's recognition of his sustained contributions to the field.[22] His post-retirement engagements at institutions such as Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health have continued to draw attention to issues of infectious disease preparedness and trust in medical research.[14]

Notable among Fauci's scientific mentees is Drew Weissman, whose work on mRNA technology contributed to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director".National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.".Academy of Achievement.https://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-s-fauci-m-d/#interview.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director".National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (archived).https://web.archive.org/web/20071030171118/http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Anthony Fauci".College of the Holy Cross.http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer02/features/fauci_sidebar.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "How the Pandemic Broke Anthony Fauci".The Atlantic.2020-03-20.https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/03/anthony-fauci-covid-19-trump-and-staying-healthy/608554/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "'Kramer/Fauci' Revisits a Sparring Match During the AIDS Crisis".The New York Times.2026-02-12.https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/theater/larry-kramer-anthony-fauci-daniel-fish-aids.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Most American Form of Theater".The Atlantic.2026-02-21.https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/02/kramer-fauci-theater-review-buckley-vidal-debate/686080/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Making PEPFAR".Science & Diplomacy.2013.http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/article/2013/making-pepfar.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Ebola congress hearing: CDC director".The Guardian.2014-10-16.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/16/ebola-congress-hearing-cdc-director.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "More Ebola screening possible for United States".U.S. News & World Report.2014-10-06.https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/10/06/more-ebola-screening-possible-for-united-states.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Coronavirus: What we know about Mike Pence and the task force".USA Today.2020-02-27.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/27/coronavirus-what-we-know-mike-pence-and-task-force/4891905002/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Top federal health official says coronavirus outbreak is going to get worse in the US".CNBC.2020-03-11.https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/top-federal-health-official-says-coronavirus-outbreak-is-going-to-get-worse-in-the-us.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Fauci and Coronavirus".The New York Times.2020-03-08.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/08/health/fauci-coronavirus.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Dr. Anthony Fauci: Insights from 50 years of public service".Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.2025-10-16.https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/dr-anthony-fauci-insights-from-50-years-of-public-service/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Decades of Wisdom on Display as Dr. Anthony Fauci Visits Beth El Hebrew".Washington Jewish Week.2025-12-01.https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/decades-of-wisdom-on-display-as-dr-anthony-fauci-visits-beth-el-hebrew/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Fauci discusses HIV cure, renewed trust in medical research".WCVB.2026-02-19.https://www.wcvb.com/article/fauci-corey-hiv-vaccine-boston/70425917.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Chairman Rand Paul Uncovers New Evidence of Fauci Deleting Official Records, Calls Him to Testify Before HSGAC".U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.2025-09-12.https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/chairman-rand-paul-uncovers-new-evidence-of-fauci-deleting-official-records-calls-him-to-testify-before-hsgac/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Senator Rand Paul Re-Refers Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice".U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.2025-07-14.https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/senator-rand-paul-re-refers-dr-anthony-fauci-to-the-department-of-justice/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Anthony Fauci — AACC Hall of Fame".American Association for Clinical Chemistry.https://www.aacc.org/Community/Awards/Hall-of-Fame/Bios/A-to-K/Anthony-Fauci.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "AAI Lifetime Achievement Award — Past Recipients".American Association of Immunologists.https://www.aai.org/Awards/Career-Awards/AAI-Lifetime-Achievement-Award/Past-Recipients.aspx.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine — All Laureates".Jung Foundation for Science and Research.http://www.jung-stiftung.de/en/die-jung-stiftung-1/ernst-jung-preis-fuer-medizin/alle-preistraeger.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Keipp Talbot wins Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award".Vanderbilt University Medical Center.2025-11-05.https://news.vumc.org/2025/11/05/keipp-talbot-wins-anthony-fauci-courage-in-leadership-award/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Honorary Degrees".Colgate University.1996-07.http://www4.colgate.edu/scene/july1996/honorary-degrees.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Anthony Fauci".C-SPAN.https://www.c-span.org/person/?anthonyfauci.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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