Former White House medical advisor Anthony Fauci was the subject of a heated congressional committee hearing last week in response to revelations about his policy during the COVID pandemic. Many of his directives, including the masking of children and 6 feet of social distance, had no basis in science. Regarding the origin of 6 feet, Fauci said, “You know, I don’t recall. It sort of just appeared.” Scientists are expected to seek truth and give advice based on that truth, not mask their opinions in pretended facts. Fauci’s conduct was a betrayal of that public trust, and it has understandably inspired much skepticism about scientific consensus. And it raises the question of why two presidential administrations trusted and elevated him. But the biggest loser in the unfounded advice of Fauci was public trust.