Anthony Fauci’s pandemic diary released by Rand Paul sparks political fallout
Senator Rand Paul made public more than 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s personal diary covering December 2019 through December 2022. The entries show Fauci tracking his own media coverage, calling himself “the most famous and talked‑about person in the country,” and noting praise from public figures. Private notes reveal he urged New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and California officials to close schools, bars and restaurants in March 2020, and express doubts that the Wuhan market was the origin of COVID‑19, describing it as an “amplifier” while questioning a possible lab‑leak. Republicans have used the diary to allege deception and to accuse Fauci of driving lockdowns; President Donald Trump blamed Fauci for the closures. Democrats condemned the diary as an attack on science. President Joe Biden issued a pre‑emptive pardon for Fauci, which does not shield him from potential new offenses. During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times. Media coverage varied, with some networks initially downplaying the story before the hearing forced broader reporting.
Entities: Chuck Schumer · Donald Trump · Dr. Anthony Fauci · President Donald Trump · President Joe Biden · Rand Paul · Senator Chuck Schumer · Senator Rand Paul · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Senator Chuck Schumer and other Democrats condemned the diary as attacking science. (clm_5fcce4b2-e333-437a-a147-2e8d8c6fb38c)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The diary was obtained via a subpoena issued by Republican Senator Rand Paul. (clm_b2ff5bf4-8593-4cde-b941-9ca51589cc46)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Fauci persuaded New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and California officials to close schools, bars and restaurants in March 2020. (clm_959c179e-a202-452e-90e3-9e43f9d791fa)
- [● 4 SOURCES] In the diaries Fauci described himself as the most famous and talked‑about person in the country. (clm_a63df9e3-5b36-42ba-8302-440af8e204fa)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Blaze Media reported that Fauci dismissed a critical book as “nonsense” and refused to read it. (article e7a16222-54b3-4f6f-8f3c-401b24a87543)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Donald Trump blamed Fauci for the widespread lockdowns during the COVID‑19 pandemic. (clm_e0867b60-a7b6-4a83-8200-bcccc5de0300)
- [● 3 SOURCES] More than 1,100 pages of Anthony Fauci's personal diary entries from 2019‑2022 were released. (clm_3351081e-cc19-4b85-90aa-176b4c35715a)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Fauci's diary recorded private doubts about a lab‑leak origin of COVID‑19, describing the Wuhan market as an “amplifier.” (clm_40f5520a-dc67-44a4-a8d4-37bea327467c)
- [● 2 SOURCES] President Joe Biden issued a pre‑emptive pardon for Dr. Anthony Fauci on 20 January 2025. (new_1)