Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment, declines to testify at Senate COVID-19 hearing

Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment on Wednesday, refusing to answer numerous questions from senators during a Republican-led committee hearing concerning his management of the COVID-19 pandemic. This action, at least temporarily, protected Fauci from potential accusations of perjury. Although he received a pardon from President Joe Biden in early 2025, some Republicans had suggested he could still face charges for any false testimony given during the hearing.

Fauci, who played a key role in the nation's COVID-19 response, was subpoenaed by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, with whom he has a long-standing adversarial relationship. In response to pointed and sometimes mocking questions from Republican senators, Fauci declined to answer over 100 times, adding a new layer of drama to the long-standing partisan disagreements regarding the pandemic's origins and handling. Fauci himself has become a divisive figure, even receiving death threats that necessitated security measures.

In his opening statement, Fauci remarked that Paul has an "obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution." He added that the "sole reason" for the hearing was for Paul to elicit a statement that could vindicate his public pledges of Fauci ending up "behind bars." Fauci stated that, while difficult, he was following his attorney's advice by invoking the Fifth Amendment.

Republicans accused Fauci of dishonesty in previous testimony regarding the coronavirus's origins, claims the scientist has strongly refuted. Democrats, however, characterized the hearing as a politically motivated attempt to entrap Fauci, praising his contributions during the pandemic. Throughout the approximately three-hour hearing, Paul dominated the proceedings, presenting a series of accusations and detailed questions, with Fauci consistently declining to respond.

During a heated exchange, Paul removed Fauci's attorney, David Schertler, from the room for attempting to speak without being recognized. Schertler issued a statement calling the removal "outrageous" and indicative of the "completely biased and baseless nature of this proceeding." He also described Paul's accusations against Fauci as "false and disgraceful."