Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right to refuse answering questions Wednesday during a Senate hearing focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his personal diary entries.
Fauci appeared before the Senate committee as lawmakers sought details about his decision-making during the pandemic, including his positions on potential treatments and the virus’s origins. The former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said he would not answer questions, citing advice from his legal counsel.
What Happened at the Hearing
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson directly challenged Fauci’s past statements on hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, saying “You said there’s no evidence it’s helpful… There was ALL kinds of evidence!” Johnson questioned Fauci’s involvement in limiting access to these drugs and suggested it was done to clear the way for emergency authorizations of other medications.
Johnson also referenced Fauci’s recent booster vaccinations, stating, “I was just wondering whether it ever went through your mind that maybe … all those boosters you took might have caused that.” He added, “I think it’d be almost impossible for you to answer the questions truthfully without really demonstrating what you did.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul removed one of Fauci’s attorneys from the hearing after the lawyer repeatedly spoke without permission. “You will respect these proceedings. You were told not to sit at the table,” Paul said before having security escort the attorney out of the room.
Trump’s Response
Before the hearing, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that more people died from COVID under President Joe Biden’s administration than under his own. “‘Operation Warp Speed’ was a SPECTACULAR SUCCESS,” Trump wrote, referencing his administration’s vaccine development effort.
Trump also claimed he overrode Fauci’s recommendations and disagreed with the doctor’s early skepticism about the lab-origin theory for COVID-19. “I said from the beginning that the Virus came from the Wuhan Laboratory in China. Fauci strongly disagreed, always trying to protect China,” Trump stated.