Josh Hammer, a senior editor-at-large for Newsweek, said Dr. Anthony Fauci is fundamentally drunk on power during a recent interview.
The comments highlight a continuing debate over the role of public health officials and the potential for hubris when individuals wield significant government authority.
Speaking on News24 Digital with presenter Gabriella Power in Australia, Hammer said that the concentration of power naturally attracts a lack of humility. He said it is incumbent upon those in positions of authority to recognize when they have doubts, and to exhibit restraint.
Hammer focused his criticism on Fauci's conduct during his time as a leading figure in the U.S. pandemic response. He said Fauci has no such inhibitions or reservations regarding his own authority [1].
"The problem is that when you have that much power, power naturally attracts hubris," Hammer said [1].
The editor said that the nature of Fauci's influence created a situation where the official became disconnected from the necessity of humility. He described the former health official as a man who is fundamentally drunk on power [1].
This critique suggests that the institutional power granted during the public health crisis may have fundamentally altered the way Fauci approached his duties. Hammer said that this shift in personality or approach is a direct result of the power dynamic inherent in high-level government roles [1].
“"Anthony Fauci has no such inhibitions, no such reservations, because this is a man who’s just fundamentally drunk on power."”
This critique reflects a broader political tension regarding the accountability of unelected health officials. By framing the issue as one of personal hubris rather than scientific disagreement, the argument shifts the focus from the efficacy of specific health policies to the psychological impact of systemic power on individual decision-makers.
