A taxpayer-funded museum exhibit honoring Dr. Anthony Fauci has been canceled as part of a sweeping effort to eliminate unnecessary government spending. The $170,000 project, which was planned for the National Museum of Health and Medicine, was scrapped after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered its funding as part of a broader audit of administrative waste.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had allocated funds for the exhibit before DOGE stepped in and terminated the project, along with 61 other contracts totaling $182 million. According to DOGE officials, none of the cuts impacted healthcare programs, but they did target excessive administrative spending.
Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, criticized the idea of taxpayer dollars being used to glorify Fauci, pointing out that the former government official remains a divisive figure. Many Americans blame his policies for prolonged lockdowns, business closures, and vaccine mandates that forced people out of their jobs.
The cancellation of the museum exhibit follows another move to cut Fauci’s taxpayer-funded benefits. President Donald Trump recently revoked his government-provided security detail, a perk that had remained in place long after Fauci left public service.
While former President Joe Biden granted Fauci a sweeping pardon before leaving office, his actions are still being investigated by multiple state attorneys general. The probe seeks to determine whether his handling of pandemic policies violated any state laws.
With DOGE continuing to comb through federal budgets, more examples of wasteful spending could soon be exposed and eliminated, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are no longer used for unnecessary projects.
