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Gone quiet · last update Oct 7, 2026 / Anthony Fauci

Anthony Fauci and the inquiries into the pandemic's origins

Overview · reviewed October 24, 2026

Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert during the COVID-19 pandemic, faced Republican investigations of his role in the debate over the virus's origins.[1] President Joe Biden gave him a preemptive pardon in January 2025.[2] In July 2026, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at a Senate hearing on the pandemic's origins.[3]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

President Joe Biden gave him a preemptive pardon in January 2025.[2] In July 2026, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at a Senate hearing on the pandemic's origins.[3]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Nov 2021: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 2%, right 3%), from 2 of 2 weeksDec 2021: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2022: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2022: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2023: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2023: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center under 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 2%, right 2%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 12% (left 3%, center 5%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center under 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 7% (left 1%, center 3%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 8% (left 2%, center 3%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 10 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (24 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Oct 5, 20260066 of 4791%
Sep 21, 20261157 of 4791%
Aug 31, 20260011 of 475under 1%
Aug 24, 20260077 of 4662%
Aug 17, 2026852134 of 4647%
Aug 10, 20263183455 of 54510%
Aug 3, 2026294845122 of 53723%
Jul 27, 2026335661150 of 56127%
Jul 20, 20260167 of 5621%
Apr 27, 20260145 of 1603%
Jan 20, 202522412790 of 22640%
Jan 13, 20250112 of 2281%
Jan 6, 202555818 of 2218%
Dec 16, 20241405 of 2262%
Dec 9, 202441914 of 2087%
Dec 2, 20248161236 of 22816%
Jun 3, 202413251250 of 22822%
Nov 27, 20230347 of 2353%
Sep 25, 20230167 of 2273%
Mar 6, 20230055 of 1773%
Feb 13, 202334815 of 1818%
Jan 10, 202211131236 of 20018%
Nov 29, 202102911 of 2185%
Nov 22, 202135311 of 1866%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Oct 7, 2026 · first reported · Headline from Conservative Daily News

    Fauci Wanted Trump Impeached Over Border Wall, Misled Public About Ebola Vaccine, Diary Entries Reveal

Background

Republicans pressed Fauci for years. In November 2021, he called Sen. Ted Cruz's suggestion that he be investigated an attack on science, and Sen. Rand Paul disputed Fauci's claim that he represented science.[4][5] At a Senate hearing in January 2022, Fauci clashed with Paul again, accusing him of attacking him to stir up "crazies" and raise money.[6][7] He was caught on a hot microphone calling another Republican senator, Roger Marshall, a "moron."[6][7] House Republicans opened an investigation into the pandemic's origins in 2023,[8] and in June 2024 Fauci defended himself at a combative hearing on the possibility of a lab leak.[1]

Read the full background (2 more paragraphs)

Biden weighed preemptive pardons for officials Trump had criticized or threatened.[9][10] In the final hours of his presidency, he pardoned Fauci, along with Gen. Mark Milley and staff of the House January 6 committee.[2] Trump ended Fauci's federal security detail days later.[11] Biden's other end-of-term clemency is followed in a separate arc.

The investigations continued in 2026. In April, a former adviser to Fauci, David Morens, was on charges of hiding communications about COVID research, and in August he pleaded guilty to conspiring to conceal records.[12][13] Before a Senate hearing in July, excerpts from Fauci's diary were published, and at the hearing he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times.[14][3] Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security Committee voted along party lines to hold him in contempt and refer him to the Justice Department.[15][16] Florida, Alabama and Louisiana opened investigations into him,[17][18] and Republican senators released his text messages about the safety of COVID vaccines in pregnancy.[19] Fauci declined a second Senate appearance in August,[20] and in September Democrats blocked Sen. Rand Paul's effort to give a former Fauci assistant immunity to testify.[21] Diary entries released in October showed him disparaging Trump and recounting a ransomware attack that cost him files.[22]

Supporting stories (22)
  1. Fauci parries Republicans in combative hearing about Covid's origins and possibility of a lab leak
  2. Biden pardons Fauci, Milley and Jan. 6 committee staffers in final hours of presidency
  3. Dr. Fauci invokes the Fifth Amendment at Senate hearing on COVID pandemic
  4. Fauci fires back at Cruz over COVID claims about Chinese lab
  5. Rand Paul Says Fauci's Declaration That He Represents Science 'Conjures Up Images of the Medieval Church'
  6. Fauci accuses Sen. Rand Paul of attacking him to stirring up ‘crazies,’ fundraising
  7. Fauci calls GOP senator a 'moron' on hot mic during tense hearing
  8. GOP launches probe into COVID origins with letter to Fauci
  9. Biden Is Considering Preemptive Pardons for Officials and Allies Before Trump Takes Office
  10. Biden is still considering pardons for people who have been criticized or threatened by Trump - The Daily Reporter
  11. Trump ends federal security detail for Dr. Fauci
  12. Former Fauci advisor indicted for hiding communications related to COVID research
  13. Former Fauci adviser pleads guilty to conspiracy to conceal Covid-19 records
  14. 4 takeaways from Dr. Anthony Fauci's journals ahead of his Senate testimony
  15. Fauci contempt vote presents DOJ with 'incredibly messy' choices
  16. Dr. Anthony Fauci declines request to appear before a second Senate panel after GOP contempt vote
  17. Florida AG launching investigation into Fauci after Senate hearing
  18. Louisiana joins Alabama and Florida in investigating Dr. Fauci
  19. Republican senators release Fauci’s text messages discussing safety of Covid vaccine and pregnancy
  20. Fauci refuses Senate appearance after invoking Fifth Amendment more than 100 times in COVID probe
  21. Democrats Block Rand Paul’s Effort to Grant an Ex-Fauci Assistant Immunity
  22. Fauci diary reveals he disparaged Trump, praised China, and lost secret files in ransomware hack…

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 54 recorded updates

October 2026

  1. Fauci Wanted Trump Impeached Over Border Wall, Misled Public About Ebola Vaccine, Diary Entries RevealHeadline from The Daily Caller · 3 outlets
  2. Fauci diary reveals he disparaged Trump, praised China, and lost secret files in ransomware hack…Headline from Revolver News · 3 outlets

September 2026

  1. Democrats Block Rand Paul’s Effort to Grant an Ex-Fauci Assistant ImmunityHeadline from NOTUS · 7 outlets

August 2026

  1. ‘Delete From the Deleted File’: Fauci Tried to Destroy Gain-Of-Function Research Email, New Docs RevealHeadline from The Daily Signal · 8 outlets
  2. Former Fauci adviser pleads guilty to conspiracy to conceal Covid-19 recordsHeadline from The Guardian · 34 outlets
  3. Fauci was apparently warned to save '$$' to tackle vaccine fallout: 'Will come back to bite you'Headline from Conservative Review · 7 outlets
  4. Fauci refuses Senate appearance after invoking Fifth Amendment more than 100 times in COVID probeHeadline from Fox News · 3 outlets
  5. Dr. Anthony Fauci declines request to appear before a second Senate panel after GOP contempt voteHeadline from KOB 4 · 9 outlets
  6. False claims about miscarriage risk from Covid-19 vaccines are spreading online. They use a faulty interpretation of dataHeadline from KESQ Palm Springs · 8 outlets
  7. Republican senators release Fauci’s text messages discussing safety of Covid vaccine and pregnancyHeadline from KTVZ Bend · 9 outlets
  8. Newly Released Text Messages Show Fauci Knew COVID Vaccines Would Cause Miscarriages, But Pushed the Shots AnywayHeadline from American Greatness · 10 outlets
  9. Editorial: Prosecuting Fauci is an affront to justiceHeadline from The Brunswick News · 2 outlets
  10. Fauci texts reveal concern over pregnancy, COVID vaccineHeadline from The Center Square · 29 outlets
  11. We read Fauci’s diary. Are his texts next?Headline from BizPac Review · 6 outlets
  12. Fauci’s Lawyer Just Attacked Aaron Rodgers for Calling Him an Absolute CowardHeadline from Unmuzzled News · 6 outlets
  13. Fauci contempt vote presents DOJ with 'incredibly messy' choicesHeadline from The Hill · 114 outlets
  14. Fauci faces new legal trouble as Florida attorney general issues subpoenaHeadline from Washington Times · 16 outlets
  15. Louisiana joins Alabama and Florida in investigating Dr. FauciHeadline from KVUE · 3 outlets

July 2026

  1. Inside Fauci’s intensely planned hearing strategy: ‘There was no other option’Headline from KRDO · 8 outlets
  2. Fauci’s COVID‑origins hearing shows how conspiracy theories became political weaponsHeadline from Salon · 4 outlets
  3. 4 things Fauci's diary reveals about COVID, Trump and fameHeadline from St. Louis Post-Dispatch · 1 outlet
  4. Ted Cruz demands Fauci face jail time, labels him as America's 'most damaging bureaucrat'Headline from Fox News · 4 outlets
  5. Senator from Ohio drops f-bomb at Fauci during heated hearingHeadline from NBC 4 Columbus · 14 outlets
  6. 4 takeaways from Dr. Anthony Fauci's journals ahead of his Senate testimonyHeadline from ABC 7 San Francisco · 2 outlets
  7. Florida AG launching investigation into Fauci after Senate hearingHeadline from The Hill · 21 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →