Early on Fauci was wrong about the masks. What else was there that he needs to be crucified for?
He actively discouraged researching links between the pandemic origin and the Wuhan lab.
He downplayed links between the NIH and the Wuhan lab.
He lied about masking, which made people doubt things he said later.
He turned science into politics and made follow the science a catchphrase.
He made people suspect their medical advisors of being political rather than scientific.
That being said, for a good period of time he was an effective counterweight to Trump saying it would all magically go away and it was comforting to hear him speak and reassure the nation during our darkest times in March 2020 when things looked very bleak.