Fauci’s Diary Revealed During Contentious Senate Hearing
A diary took center stage in a heated Senate hearing on Wednesday, featuring thoughts from Dr. Anthony Fauci. As a leading voice in the U.S. response to COVID-19, Fauci faced accusations from Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, who has long alleged that Fauci lied about the coronavirus origins. Though Fauci, previously the top infectious disease official at the National Institutes of Health, denied these claims in past hearings, calling them ‘preposterous’, this time he invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering further questions.
Sen. Rand Paul drew significant attention by releasing over 1,000 pages of Fauci’s diary. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated on Fox News that these entries were obtained from government computers and shared with the committee, which is led by Republicans. Fauci’s repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment, and his choice to refrain from answering more than 100 times, highlighted ongoing partisan disagreements about the pandemic’s origins and handling.
Selected excerpts from the diary suggested discrepancies in Fauci’s public statements. In an entry dated January 26, 2020, he noted the virus likely spread among people before it was officially recognized by China and highlighted the role of a market as an ‘amplifier’ rather than the initial source. Conversely, in public interviews, Fauci’s statements echoed these views, acknowledging the market’s role without confirming it as the starting point. Many scientists, including Fauci, continue to explore theories about the virus’s origins, with a majority leaning towards a natural emergence similar to SARS.
Fauci’s interactions with former President Donald Trump also surfaced in his diary. An entry from March 11, 2020, reflected a positive encounter where Trump prioritized public health over economic concerns. However, a later entry from August 4, 2020, portrayed a tense meeting where Trump criticized the increase in testing for rising COVID-19 case numbers, to which Fauci explained that increased testing reveals asymptomatic cases but a rise in positives and hospitalizations indicates true case growth.
The diary also captured Fauci’s media encounters and rising recognition. On May 13, 2020, he participated in an Instagram discussion with actress Julia Roberts. He recounted how Roberts expressed admiration, calling him a hero, and they talked about COVID-19’s impact on developing countries and the importance of including them in vaccine trials.
Entries detailed Trump’s COVID-19 illness as well. Fauci recalled a call from Trump’s then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows for advice on public appearances following Trump’s symptoms. The diary mentioned Trump’s illness timeline, temperature spikes, low oxygen levels, and treatment with Remdesivir during recovery, alongside Fauci’s conveyed well-wishes.