Anthony Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment 111 times during Senate hearing

Anthony Fauci Fifth Amendment Senate hearing gain‑of‑function Rand Paul

On July 29 2026 the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing in Washington on the origins of the COVID‑19 pandemic and the federal response. Former NIAID director Dr Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right more than one hundred times—111 according to multiple reports—to avoid answering questions about U.S. funding of gain‑of‑function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the laboratory‑leak hypothesis, and his role in pandemic policy decisions such as school closures.

The hearing was chaired by Senator Rand Paul, who released portions of Fauci’s personal diary. The diary entries show private uncertainty about the lab‑leak theory and note his involvement in funding decisions. No new public information on the virus’s origins emerged from the hearing.

President Joe Biden had previously issued a pre‑emptive pardon covering any federal offenses by Fauci from 2014 to 2025. Following the hearing, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a state investigation into Fauci’s conduct. The episode has drawn extensive media commentary, including criticism from commentators such as Bill Maher and numerous opinion pieces.

Entities

Anthony Fauci · Anthony S. Fauci · Bill de Blasio · James Uthmeier · Joe Biden · Joni Ernst · Norway · Norwegian media · Rand Paul · U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · United States · United States Senate

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 7 SOURCES] Fauci's team moved gain‑of‑function research abroad after a 2014 U.S. ban. www.srspol.sk · vof.no · www.stheadline.com · easyca.ca · nezavislamedia.cz · +2 more
[● 7 SOURCES] Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during the hearing. vof.no · www.srspol.sk · www.stheadline.com · easyca.ca · nezavislamedia.cz · +2 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The hearing focused on the origins of the COVID‑19 pandemic. www.srspol.sk · vof.no · nezavislamedia.cz · www.document.no · www.stheadline.com · +3 more
[● 9 SOURCES] Senator Rand Paul led the Senate hearing. vof.no · www.document.no · www.srspol.sk · www.stheadline.com · easyca.ca · +3 more
[● 7 SOURCES] Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions at the Senate hearing. www.srspol.sk · vof.no · nezavislamedia.cz · www.document.no · www.stheadline.com · +2 more
[● 2 SOURCES] Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a state investigation into Anthony Fauci. www.document.dk · www.eltelegrafo.com
[● 7 SOURCES] Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during the hearing. easyca.ca · www.document.dk · washingtonmonthly.com · www.eltelegrafo.com · www.frontal.ba · +1 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The hearing produced no new public information on the origins of the COVID‑19 pandemic. easyca.ca · www.document.dk · washingtonmonthly.com · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.newsbusters.org · +1 more
[● 3 SOURCES] Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right more than one hundred times during the hearing. www.eltelegrafo.com · washingtonmonthly.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] In his diary, Fauci expressed private uncertainty about the lab‑leak theory and acknowledged U.S. funding of the Chinese lab.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Fauci’s diary notes describe his role in influencing school‑closure decisions in New York City and California during the early pandemic.
[● 4 SOURCES] Fauci’s diary contains entries indicating private uncertainty about the lab‑leak theory and notes on funding of Wuhan research. washingtonmonthly.com · www.eltelegrafo.com · u-s-news.com · knowledgenuts.com