DOGE Takes a Sledgehammer to Fauci’s Legacy, Cancels Museum Exhibit Contract

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has canceled more than $180 million in contracts within a 48-hour period, including a planned museum exhibit dedicated to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

JUST IN:

DOGE just terminated a $168,000 contract for an Anthony Fauci exhibit at the NIH Museum.

Over the last two days, HHS canceled 62 contract worth $182 million.

These contracts were solely for administrative expenses and had nothing to do with any healthcare programs. pic.twitter.com/omWf75bw3m

— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 7, 2025

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The decision is part of a broader effort by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to eliminate what it considers unnecessary administrative expenses.

“In the past 48 hours, HHS canceled 62 contract [sic] worth $182 million,” DOGE announced in a social media post on Friday.

“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

The exhibit was scheduled for completion by July 2025 but has now been scrapped along with other HHS administrative expenses.

DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has been conducting an extensive review of government spending in recent weeks.

The agency has already proposed eliminating the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and introducing reforms at the U.S. Treasury Department aimed at cutting more than $100 billion per year in entitlement payments to individuals without Social Security numbers.

The spending review has affected multiple federal agencies, with HHS being the latest to see budget reductions.

The cancellation of the Fauci exhibit follows a pattern of cost-cutting measures that have been implemented under DOGE’s oversight.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has been a highly visible figure in government health policy, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, former President Donald Trump revoked the taxpayer-funded security detail that had been assigned to Fauci in 2020.

“I think, you know, when you work for government, at some point your security detail comes off and, you know, you can’t have them forever,” Trump said about the decision.

“We took some off other people, too, but you can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life because you work for government.”

On his last day in office, former President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Fauci.

The pardon was intended to protect the longtime health official from potential legal consequences under a second Trump administration, though Fauci had not been charged with any crimes at the time.

Fauci’s tenure at NIAID lasted nearly 40 years, from 1984 to 2022.

He originally joined the National Institutes of Health in 1968 and became known for his work on HIV/AIDS before emerging as the federal government’s chief medical spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With DOGE continuing to push for government spending reductions, further budget cuts affecting other agencies are expected in the coming months.

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