Watch Live: The Fauci Hearing

Dr. Anthony Fauci is testifying today before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committe, after Chairman Sen. Rand Paul compelled him via subpoena. 

Fauci, the former longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at NIH (1984–2022) and a leading public face of the U.S. COVID-19 response, is appearing as the sole witness.

In his opening statement, Fauci said he was invoking his 5th amendment right not to answer Paul’s questions. 

Watch Live:

This marks another round of congressional scrutiny of Fauci since his 2022 retirement, centered on long-running criticisms of pandemic-era decisions and messaging. Key focuses include:

• COVID-19 origins: Whether NIH-funded research (including work connected to labs in China) played any role, versus the prevailing scientific view of a natural zoonotic spillover (likely amplified at the Wuhan wildlife market). Paul has long pressed lab-leak possibilities and alleged inconsistencies in Fauci’s public statements.
• Recently released diary entries: Paul made public more than 1,000–1,500 pages of Fauci’s personal notes from the pandemic years. Critics highlight passages they say differ from Fauci’s public comments (e.g., early notes on the virus and the market); Fauci’s attorneys have called the related allegations baseless.
• Broader issues of public-health messaging, school closures, gain-of-function research debates, and Fauci’s interactions with officials across the Trump and Biden administrations.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer and others have noted that a prior presidential pardon does not cover potential false statements in today’s testimony. Fauci has previously rejected claims of lying or cover-ups as preposterous; scientists and supporters have defended him ahead of the session.