Anthony Fauci was Mr Trump's COVID adviser during his first term. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
In short:
President Donald Trump has ended the federal security detail for Dr Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised him on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Fauci faced regular threats to his life and has received federal protection for years.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump said he was considering "getting rid of" the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a trip to disaster zones.
President Donald Trump has ended the federal security detail for Dr Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised him on the COVID-19 pandemic, a person familiar with the matter said.
Dr Fauci is the latest in a string of former aides-turned-critics of Mr Trump to see their federal protection cancelled despite ongoing threats to their lives.
Speaking to reporters in North Carolina on Friday, Mr Trump said he wouldn't feel any responsibility if harm befell the former government officials.
A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security issues, said that Dr Fauci's federal security detail was ended on Thursday and that he has since hired private security.
President Donald Trump speaks about COVID in 2020, as Dr Fauci stands to the far left. (AP: Carolyn Kaster)
When asked about Dr Fauci and former national security adviser John Bolton, Mr Trump said, "They all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security, too."
The Republican earlier this week revoked protection details for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, as well as Mr Bolton.
All have faced threats from Iran since they took hard-line stances on the Islamic Republic during Mr Trump's first administration and fell out with him in the years after he left office in 2021.
How US exit from WHO will impact global health
Photo shows trump holds paper signed
Dr Fauci was a regular at Trump's side early in the COVID-19 outbreak but grew critical of Mr Trump after the president tried to undermine public health guidance.
Dr Fauci faced regular threats to his life and has received federal protection for years.
Mr Bolton, Mr Hook and Mr Pompeo had their security details repeatedly renewed by the Biden administration because of credible and ongoing threats from Iran.
Dr Fauci's was also repeatedly renewed by president Joe Biden, a Democrat, because of domestic threats.
"You can't have a security detail for the rest of your life because you worked for government," Mr Trump said.
Trump considers removing federal emergency agency
Meanwhile, Mr Trump said he was considering "getting rid of" the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a trip to disaster zones on Friday.
Instead of having federal financial assistance flow through FEMA, the Republican said Washington could provide money directly to the states.
He made the comments while visiting North Carolina, which is still recovering months after Hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term.
"FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said.
"It's very bureaucratic. And it's very slow."
Mr Trump said Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response have lingered.
Although Mr Whatley does not hold an official government position, Mr Trump said he would be "very much in charge."
While the president emphasised his desire to help North Carolina, a battleground state that's voted for him in all of his presidential campaigns, he was much less generous toward California, where he plans to visit wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles later in the day.
Mr Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots.
During his previous terms, Mr Trump's response to natural disasters had been controversial, including when he threw paper towels into crowd after a Hurricane in Puerto Rico. (Source: Johnathan Ernst, Reuters)
Beyond Trump's criticism of FEMA, he's suggested limiting the federal government's role in responding to disasters, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility.
"I'd like to see the states take care of disasters," he said after landing in the Asheville area.
"Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen."
Trump, who was accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, said that would be quicker and cheaper than sending in FEMA.
"FEMA just hasn't done the job," the president said.
"We're looking at the whole concept of FEMA."
Mr Trump will visit Los Angeles which is being ravaged by several wildfires. (Reuters: Ringo Chiu)
FEMA helps respond to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own.
FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents.
Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was "misinformed" about an agency that provides critical help to states when they are overwhelmed by catastrophe.
In addition, Mr Coen criticised the idea of attaching strings to assistance.
"You're going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government," he said.
"I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live."
AP
