Anthony Fauci refuses to answer questions during tense US Senate hearing about Covid origins

By Madeline Halpert and Max Matza

29 July 2026, 14:21 BST

The former top U.S. health official, Anthony Fauci, drew a line in the sand during Wednesday’s Senate hearing on the origins of the Covid‑19 pandemic. He invoked the Fifth Amendment, citing fear that Republican senators might try to use his answers to prosecute him for alleged perjury.

“Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government … under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the constitution to refrain from answering your questions,” Fauci said at the hearing. Fifth‑Amendment rights do not imply guilt; they protect individuals from coerced testimony that could later be used against them.

“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason you are calling me before this committee is to get me to say something – anything – that could vindicate your repeated public pledges that I end up, in your words, ‘behind bars.’” – Fauci to Senator Rand Paul

Paul, a former eye surgeon turned senator, pressed the questions without yielding. He repeatedly urged Fauci to “apologise” and warned that the committee would vote next week for a resolution holding Fauci in contempt of Congress.

Republican accusations have long alleged that Fauci concealed information about the pandemic from the public and lied about its dangers. Fauci has denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations “simply preposterous.”

The pre‑emptive pardon granted in 2025 by former President Joe Biden shields Fauci from federal prosecutions for actions taken between 2014 and 2025, but he could still face charges for post‑pardon conduct—including any statements made to the Senate committee. State and local authorities may also pursue separate investigations.

The hearing highlighted the volatile debate surrounding the pandemic’s origins, a topic that also drew former President Donald Trump’s ire when he declared that the virus came from the Wuhan laboratory. Trump’s comments underscored the dividing line between the lab‑leak theory and the natural‑origin hypothesis that the World Health Organization still considers the best supported.

In a related context, Senator Ron Johnson’s anger surfaced with threats of subpoenas, while Democrats such as Senator Maggie Hassan voiced support for Fauci, accusing Republicans of attempting to entrap him.

Fauci’s safety has been a concern; Trump removed his personal security in 2025, and he has received death threats throughout the pandemic.

Despite the political turmoil, Fauci’s reputation as one of the U.S. government’s most trusted figures during the pandemic remains steadfast, exemplified by the presidential commendation awarded by Trump in 2021 for his work on the Operation Warp Speed vaccine program.

Related topics: Anthony Fauci, Donald Trump, Coronavirus, United States