Anthony Fauci, the veteran public‑health official and former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, declined to answer congressional questions during a tense U.S. Senate Homeland Security hearing that raised New‑York questions about how the Covid‑19 pandemic began.
The 85‑year‑old invoked the Fifth Amendment – the constitutional right that protects witnesses from self‑incrimination – saying Republicans would “attempt to use my testimony to prosecute me for perjury.” Fauci’s statement that he feared being «entrap‑ed» followed a series of hearings in which he had testified about the virus’s origin.
Republicans have long alleged that he was hiding information and lying about the dangers of the virus. In prior testimony, Fauci described those allegations as “simply preposterous.” He also warned that should he answer, any disagreement with his earlier statements could turn into a criminal‑law problem.
Senator Rand Paul, a former eye surgeon and chair of the hearing, pressed Fauci repeatedly for answers. Paul’s remarks included a claim that Fauci privately believed the virus had come from a laboratory, a theory he has promoted since the pandemic began.
The hearing’s atmosphere intensified when Paul mentioned that the committee could vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress next week. Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, tried to interject during the questioning but was removed from the room, a move Fauci’s legal team described as “outrageous” and evidence of a “baseless and vindictive nature” to the proceeding.
In the midst of the debate, former President Donald Trump appeared on social media to criticize Fauci, labeling him “crazy” and accusing him of protecting China. Trump has previously awarded Fauci commendations for his work on the Covid vaccine effort known as Operation Warp Speed.
The US has remained divided over the virus’s origins. The World Health Organization’s 2025 report concluded that the natural‑origin theory – the virus spilling over from animals – had the strongest evidence but stated that a definitive source had not yet emerged, keeping the “lab‑leak” possibility open.
Following the hearing, Republican politicians and state authorities said they would investigate Fauci, while some Democrats, such as Sen. Maggie Hassan, defended him, calling the process an attempt to entrap. Fauci has faced death threats throughout the pandemic, exacerbated by the loss of his executive‑protected status when Trump removed his security clearance last year.
Despite polarizing opinions, many consider Fauci to have been a trusted public health figure during a global crisis that required rapid scientific responses and communication of evolving data.
