Anthony Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment 111 Times in Senate Hearing

Former public health official Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right 111 times to avoid answering questions during a July 29, 2026, hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. The proceedings focused on the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic, including contradictory statements regarding the virus's origins and the shift in mask guidance during early 2020.

Republican senators led the interrogation. Senator Rand Paul released several hundred pages of Fauci's diaries, which critics claim show a preference for professional reputation over public health. Senator Bernie Moreno accused Fauci of failing to take responsibility for vaccine and mask mandates, while Senator Josh Hawley attacked Fauci's integrity, calling him a "narcissist and a megalomaniac and a liar."

Although President Joe Biden granted Fauci a pardon for actions between 2014 and 2025, legal analysts noted that such a pardon does not protect him from potential accusations of lying to Congress. Meanwhile, critics of the hearing characterized the event as a deflection strategy by the Republican party and former President Donald Trump. These critics allege the Trump administration prioritized economic recovery for the 2020 election over public health, knowingly exposing minority essential workers to higher death rates.