Dr. Anthony Fauci, so-called “America’s doctor,” has had his fair share of fame and fortune since the COVID pandemic started in 2019. As the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the position from which the 81-year-old recently retired, “Mr. Science” had been getting the highest pay of all government employees, more than even what the president makes. Apparently, though, his $480,000 annual salary isn’t enough. Fauci is taking his knowledge on the road, providing motivational speeches for anyone willing to pay $50,000 to $100,000 to listen to an hour or so of him imparting his wisdom.
Dr. Fauci and His ‘Follow the Science’ Lectures
Over the weekend, Christina Pushaw, rapid response director for Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, tweeted a screenshot from the Leading Motivational Speaker’s Agency’s website. The image listed Fauci as a “motivational” and “health care” keynote speaker with a cost of $50,000 – $100,000. Ms. Pushaw tweeted, “SERIOUSLY???” on the post, and social media exploded with those outraged over the doctor’s audacity for profiting from the pandemic.
Substack writer Jordan Schachtel wrote, “Follow The Science Starting at 50k an hour,” and Kingsley Cortes, who is a conservative influencer and a former Donald Trump campaign staffer, posted: “The grift that keeps on gifting.”
The website listed Mr. Fauci as a speaker earlier this week (archived here), but the page appears to have been removed after all the backlash. Now, the link that once housed his image and biography selling points instead gives viewers a 404: page not found error. According to the website:
“Anthony is a keynote speaker who’s career warrants execution under immense pressure that can alter the course of human existence. His work on domestic as well as global health issues has saved millions of lives. This high level of research, discovery and execution is amazing given the grave challenges he faces on a daily basis.”
Is the price tag to hear Fauci speak worth it? For comparison, here are some other keynote speakers from the website who charge less or the same as the good doctor:
$25,000 – $50,000
- Amy Purdy: Paralympic medalist, NYT bestselling author and entrepreneur
- Audrey Gelman: Co-founder and CEO of the Wing and former political staffer
- Candace Cameron Bure: Actress, faith-based speaker and lifestyle guru
- Chris Barton: Co-founder of Shazam, innovator and startup advisor
$50,000 – $100,000
- Eddy Lu: Co-founder & CEO of Goat
- Katrina Lake: Founder and CEO of Stitch Fix
However, at least Fauci isn’t charging the highest fees. Here are some who apparently think the wisdom they share is worth much more.
$100,000+
- Magic Johnson: NBA icon, chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises
- Steve Wozniak: Tech industry icon and co-founder of Apple
- Sara Blakely: Founder of Spanx and the Giving Pledge signatory
Anthony Fauci (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
People are outraged that Fauci is benefiting from the pandemic, especially after all the confusion he caused in the early stages of COVID. From telling people masks won’t make a difference to making wearing them mandatory to forced lockdowns and deciding which businesses were “essential” vs which had to close, many Americans now see the man as a monster instead of a hero. It didn’t help when reports surfaced that Fauci, in his NIAID director role, allegedly provided a lot of money for gain of function research at Wuhan Lab, the facility suspected of being responsible for the escape of coronavirus.
As Liberty Nation Managing Editor Mark Angelides wrote, “In some circles, his reputation will be that of a savior who fought a deadly disease. But for others, he will be the villain who ushered in a medical tyranny never before experienced in the United States.”
And for those viewing Fauci as a tyrannical villain, the thought of profiting from the pandemic is appalling. OpenTheBooks claims the doctor’s net worth is around $12.6 million, and that from 2019 to 2021, he grew his fortune by $5 million while Americans were forced to shutter their businesses and not work. Currently, he is expected to give the 2023 Yale medical school commencement address; however, the cost to the school for Mr. Science’s appearance is yet unknown.
