Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer Senate questions about COVID-19’s origins on Wednesday, claiming legal protection under the Fifth Amendment.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a U.S. Senate hearing led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Wednesday, declining to answer any questions about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic after saying he feared his testimony could be used in a perjury prosecution. Fauci said he had previously testified under oath before Congress on multiple occasions and argued Paul’s repeated calls to see him prosecuted left him no choice but to remain silent on the advice of his attorneys. However, as former President Joe Biden has already issued Fauci a blanket pardon, Paul believes the Fifth Amendment does not allow him to refuse to answer questions, and has said he will face a vote to find him in contempt of Congress. 📺 DETAIL: The hearing became contentious as Paul and other senators questioned Fauci despite his refusal to respond. One of Fauci’s attorneys was ordered removed by security after repeatedly attempting to interject. Paul cited more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s pandemic-era writings, claiming they contradicted his public statements by showing he privately considered the possibility that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Fauci’s writings show he initially kept an open mind about both a natural spillover and a laboratory leak before later insisting a natural animal-to-human transmission was the more likely explanation. Republican senators, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), criticized Fauci’s refusal to testify, while Democratic lawmakers defended him, arguing the hearing was intended to entrap him. Fauci, who retired in 2022 after becoming the public face of the U.S. pandemic response, was granted a preemptive pardon by former President Joe Biden before Biden left office, with Biden stating the pardon should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “The sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something… that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up… ‘behind bars.’” – Anthony Fauci 🎯 IMPACT: Paul argues Fauci’s use of the Fifth Amendment to avoid questions was impermissible, as his pardon from Biden already protected him from prosecution. “It’s against the law to obstruct an investigation of Congress. There will be repercussions for your refusal to testify,” he warned. |
Instead of answering our very serious questions, Anthony Fauci pleaded the 5th 111 times throughout our hearing.
This is where we go from here. pic.twitter.com/zPaEmfh2TX
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 29, 2026
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