Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination Tuesday during a Senate hearing, declining to answer questions from Senator Rand Paul about his role in pandemic response decisions.

Fauci appeared before Congress under court order accompanied by multiple attorneys. Paul questioned Fauci about his agency’s funding of research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and statements made to lawmakers regarding gain-of-function research.

What Happened at the Hearing

Fauci declined to answer each question posed by Paul, citing his constitutional right against self-incrimination. The exchange became contentious enough that Paul requested one of Fauci’s attorneys be removed from the hearing room.

Paul’s questioning focused on statements Fauci made to Congress in May 2021 when he said the National Institutes of Health had not funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute. Documents and Fauci’s own diary, released publicly, later contradicted that testimony.

Paul stated during his opening remarks,