Fauci Rejects Senate Questions, Citing Fear of Perjury Amid Covid Origins Controversy
Former top U.S. health official Anthony Fauci has invoked the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution during a recent Senate hearing, refusing to answer a line of questions from Republican senators about the origins of the COVID‑19 pandemic. His statement, delivered March 21, 2026, was grounded in a fear that any testimony could be used by senators to prosecute him for perjury.
Fauci referenced a pre‑emptive pardon granted by former President Joe Biden that protects him from federal prosecution for actions between 2014 and 2025. He clarified that he “could still face charges for anything after that date, including in his actions toward the Senate committee,” and could be subject to state or local charges as well.
The senator who led the hearing, Rand Paul, has been a vocal defender of the “lab‑leak” theory, suggesting that Fauci’s public statements about a natural origin may be a subterfuge. He accused Fauci of “obviously wanting to get me in front of a committee to say something that could vindicate his pledges that I end up behind bars.” Despite Fauci’s refusal, Paul continued to press him for “apology” and threatened a contempt resolution.
The hearing was accompanied by interruptions from Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, who was ejected from the room while attempting to interject. Schertler called the exclusion “outrageous” and, in a statement, accused Paul of a “baseless and vindictive nature” of the proceeding.
Republicans have long held Fauci to account for allegedly hiding pandemic information. They condemned his testimony on prior hearings, and the day after the hearing, Florida Attorney General Brad Jones said he would launch an investigation.
Fauci’s diary entries, released by Paul earlier this week, show a timeline of his thinking on the virus’s origins, starting with an open mind about both the natural spillover and the lab‑leak possibilities before leaning toward a natural explanation.
The debate over the origin of the COVID‑19 virus remains unresolved, with the World Health Organization noting the natural‑origin theory is “best supported” yet still “inconclusive.” Meanwhile, Fauci’s declaration of the Fifth Amendment has not been viewed as an admission of guilt, but a procedural protection against potential coercion.
