Dr. Anthony Fauci does exist, contrary to post's claim | Fact check

Chris Mueller, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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The claim: Dr. Anthony Fauci does not exist

An Oct. 31 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a photo of Dr. Anthony Fauci surrounded by text that reads, "Would you rob a bank without a disguise? With no secret service or security for life! Would you even think about crushing the economy, forcing the vax (and) mask on all of us, even children to get people fired, leading to homelessness? People die for a lot less."

The post's caption states, in part, "Dr Fauci doesn’t exist!"

The post was liked more than 900 times in three days.

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Our rating: False

Fauci has been one of the country's best-known doctors for decades, having served as the chief medical adviser to seven presidents. He has been interviewed on camera and photographed numerous times.

Fauci served as medical adviser to seven presidents

Fauci became a household name for his role in the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has frequently been the subject of misinformation ever since. Still, there is plenty of evidence that he exists, contrary to the post's claim.

Fauci is listed among the former directors of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where he worked for more than 54 years, including 38 years as director. He also served as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, a role he also held under six other presidents. He retired from both of those positions at the end of 2022.

There are numerous examples of Fauci being photographed and interviewed during his years in government, including a wide-ranging interview with USA TODAY published in August 2022, shortly after he announced his plan to retire. He also made multiple public appearances at White House press conferences during the pandemic.

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When Fauci announced his plan to step down, Biden released a statement describing him as a "dedicated public servant" and noting that one of his first calls as president-elect was to ask Fauci to continue as chief medical adviser.

"In that role, I’ve been able to call him at any hour of the day for his advice as we’ve tackled this once-in-a-generation pandemic," reads the statement.

Fauci was born Dec. 24, 1940, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his family ran a pharmacy and lived in an apartment upstairs, according to The New Yorker, which published a story early in the pandemic detailing Fauci's childhood, education and career.

In 2008, Fauci was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President George W. Bush for his work addressing the AIDS epidemic in the U.S.

PolitiFact also debunked the claim.

The social media user who shared the post could not be reached for comment.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dr. Anthony Fauci exists, served under seven presidents | Fact check