Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment, refuses to answer at Senate

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions during a contentious Senate hearing on July 29, 2026. The hearing, held by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, marked the first time Fauci has refused to testify before lawmakers after dozens of appearances throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a brief opening statement, Fauci directly criticized committee chairman Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, accusing him of an "unhinged obsession" with seeking his prosecution. Fauci cited Paul's public calls for him to be jailed, slanderous comments, and the recent public release of his unredacted personal diary as acts of intimidation. He stated that the only conclusion he could reach was that the hearing's sole purpose was to elicit statements that could be used to justify criminal charges. Citing advice from his attorneys and despite a decades-long record of cooperation with Congress, Fauci said he would invoke his constitutional right to refrain from answering questions.

Throughout the three-hour hearing,...