A 2021 Christmas social-media post by Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, in which he celebrated receiving a Dr Anthony Fauci action figure, has resurfaced and drawn mockery from conservative critics. The reaction reflects Fauci’s continued political divisiveness in the United States, particularly among conservatives sceptical of his role during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Talarico wrote on Christmas Day 2021 that he had received “the coolest action figure for Christmas” and thanked healthcare workers, describing them as superheroes. The post concerned a Fauci doll, a novelty item associated with the former senior US infectious-disease official.