Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has canceled more than $180 million in contracts from the Department of Health and Human Services, including nearly $170,000 allocated for a museum exhibit on Dr. Anthony Fauci.
DOGE announced on social media Friday that it had terminated 62 contracts at HHS over a 48-hour period.
Fauci Exhibit Funding Cut
“These contracts were entirely for administrative expenses—none touched any healthcare programs,” DOGE wrote. “This included terminating a $168,000 contract for an Anthony Fauci exhibit at the NIH museum.”
A screenshot of the allocated funds showed the money was meant to be spent between July 2024 and July 2025. While details about the exhibit were scarce, it was expected to focus on Fauci’s long federal career, which began in 1968 at the National Institutes of Health and culminated with his advisory role to Presidents Trump and Biden during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fauci’s Legacy Under Scrutiny
Fauci’s tenure became controversial due to his role in implementing COVID restrictions, including social distancing, mask mandates, and vaccine policies that resulted in service members being discharged for noncompliance.
He was also accused of misleading Congress about U.S. funding for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where COVID-19 is suspected to have originated. Emails revealed that Fauci, former NIH head Dr. Francis Collins, and EcoHealth Alliance’s Dr. Peter Daszak were aware that Wuhan University scientists were conducting such experiments before the outbreak.
Biden’s Pardon and Security Detail Removal
Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a blanket pardon for Fauci, covering any potential crimes dating back to 2014. In response, Trump terminated Fauci’s taxpayer-funded security detail.
“When you work for the government, at some point your security detail comes off,” Trump explained at the time. “You can’t have them forever.”
DOGE Expands Efforts at CMS
The move to cut the Fauci exhibit funding came just days after Musk’s DOGE team gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS, part of HHS, distributes approximately $1.5 trillion annually for Medicare and Medicaid programs.
“Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening,” Musk posted last week.
Controversy Over Musk’s Expanding Role
Democrats have protested DOGE’s cuts and the mass layoffs of federal workers, with unions filing lawsuits to challenge the agency’s actions. Critics have also questioned Musk’s oversight, given his vast federal contracts.
Trump, however, defended Musk’s role, stating that he only acts with presidential approval. “Elon will not do anything without our approval, and we will give him the approval where appropriate,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “If there is a conflict, we won’t let him get near it. He has a team of talented people. We are trying to shrink government. Where we think there is a conflict or a problem, we won’t let him go near it.”
