Paul Releases Fauci’s Journal Entries Ahead of Hearing
Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has made public over a thousand pages of journal entries from Dr. Anthony Fauci. The release sets the stage for a heated hearing with the former leading infectious disease expert concerning the origins of COVID-19.
Senator Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, subpoenaed Fauci as part of the panel’s investigation into COVID-19’s beginnings. Paul has long advocated the theory that the virus originated from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. He has accused Fauci and other officials of misleading the public and Congress.
The journal entries span from December 2019, days before the U.S. declared a public health emergency, up until December 2022, when Fauci retired from his role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a position he held for nearly 40 years.
Conflicting Theories and New Assessments
Most scientists argue the virus likely emerged naturally from bats before affecting other species and humans in Wuhan’s market in late 2019. The FBI assessed it was “most likely” a lab incident in Wuhan. The CIA released a new assessment in January 2025, leaning toward the lab leak theory with “low confidence.”
Fauci’s entries reveal early uncertainty about the pandemic’s origins. In January 2020, he wrote about knowing the market wasn’t the source but an amplifier. A week later, Fauci referenced a call with experts suggesting the coronavirus might not be nature-originated.
Senator Paul accused Fauci of being dishonest by secretly believing in one theory while publicly supporting another. Paul highlighted discrepancies between Fauci’s private notes and public statements.
Media Exposure and Public Persona
Amid increasing attention, Fauci noted his unique public standing in a May 2020 entry, mentioning his interactions with President Trump. He detailed mixed feelings about their relationship, highlighting Trump’s admiration for him despite their differences.
Fauci documented his discomfort with press suggestions of a feud with Trump. He explained a viral image of a supposed facepalm wasn’t intentional. Despite acknowledging Trump’s verbose news conferences, Fauci mentioned interactions affirming mutual respect.
Tense Moments with Government Officials
Ahead of the Operation Warp Speed announcement in May 2020, Trump acknowledged economic losses due to the pandemic while asserting they maintained a good relationship. He suggested avoiding mask-wearing at events, which Fauci opposed.
By August 2020, as tensions grew, Fauci described Trump’s behavior as erratic and expressed frustration over public criticism. In private, he referred to Trump as an “idiot” for sharing inaccurate COVID-19 death figures.
Disagreements with Rand Paul
Fauci’s entries highlight a contentious relationship with Senator Paul. Fauci noted Paul’s role in propagating conspiracy theories linking Fauci to the virus’s origin. Fauci’s advisor, David Morens, reportedly heard of efforts to undermine Fauci.
In July 2021, Fauci recounted a Senate committee clash with Paul over NIH funding for specific research. Paul accused Fauci of lying, while Fauci contended the research didn’t qualify as gain-of-function.
Fauci later confronted Paul directly, maintaining that Paul’s declarations were disingenuous. He continued documenting Paul’s persistent criticism as a personal assault.