Anthony Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment During Senate Pandemic Hearing

Former health official Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights on July 29, 2026, during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He declined to answer questions regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations that he misled Congress about funding gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

Senator Rand Paul led the proceedings, having previously released over 1,000 pages of Fauci's personal diaries provided by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Paul alleged these diaries reveal discrepancies between Fauci's private notes and public statements. He demanded an apology for what he termed a profound judgment error in funding dangerous research. Fauci dismissed these efforts as an obsession intended to secure his prosecution.

The hearing was marked by high tension, resulting in the ejection of Fauci's attorney, David Schertler, following a verbal clash with Paul. Although former President Joe Biden granted Fauci a pre-emptive blanket pardon in January 2025 to prevent criminal charges, Paul warned that such a pardon would not shield him from legal repercussions for obstructing a congressional investigation.

President Donald Trump criticized Fauci's pandemic-era decisions during the proceedings. Conversely, over 150 infectious-disease experts issued a letter defending Fauci, stating there is no credible evidence to support the charges against him.