The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has announced that it will not fund a museum exhibit dedicated to Dr. Anthony Fauci. The former Director of the National Institutes of Health has watched his "hero" status fade from the pandemic, and it seems he will not have a shrine dedicated to him after all. This comes as Elon Musk has been tasked by President Donald Trump to strip wasteful spending and programs from government agencies. DOGE claims to have saved taxpayers billions of dollars, though some initiatives are now under intense legal scrutiny.
As part of its $180 million cuts, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) scrapped the $170,000 contract for the Anthony Fauci exhibit at the NIH Museum in Silver Spring, Md. Despite facing mounting criticism for how he handled the pandemic, the government felt he deserved a whole exhibit honoring his life.
It was later revealed that Fauci had played a significant role in restoring a grant for EcoHealth Alliance to fund research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the same location where COVID-19 originated. He was reportedly informed of the change through a “secret back channel. " However, he has since denied having had no “specific interaction” and being “involved” with that grant. He was also accused of misleading Congress regarding U.S. funding for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan laboratory.
The museum was to highlight Fauci's federal career, which started in 1968 at the National Institutes of Health and concluded with him assisting Trump and his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, during the pandemic.
Biden pre-emptively pardoned Fauci before leaving office, but Trump stripped funding for Fauci’s post-retirement security detail.
In addition, in less than 48 hours, DOGE canceled 62 contracts worth $182 million.
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“In the past 48 hours, HHS canceled 62 contracts [sic] worth $182 million," DOGE wrote in a post on X. "These contracts were entirely for administrative expenses – none touched any healthcare programs. This included terminating a $168,000 contract for an Anthony Fauci exhibit at the NIH Museum.”
In the past 48 hours, HHS canceled 62 contract worth $182 million. These contracts were entirely for administrative expenses – none touched any healthcare programs. This included terminating a $168,000 contract for an Anthony Fauci exhibit at the NIH Museum. pic.twitter.com/EsZxflPS6w
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 7, 2025
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