Former top U.S. health official refused to answer questions from Sen. Rand Paul, accusing the Republican lawmaker of trying to put him “behind bars.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor to the White House, invoked his fifth amendment right as he testified before the senate homeland security and government affairs committee on Wednesday.
He refused to provide answers regarding the US response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the origins of the COVID-19 virus; and NIH funded research into the virus.
Fauci stated prior to testifying that he would not be answering any questions. “Under the advice of my counsel,” he said, “I claim my privilege under the 5th amendment of the constitution, and respectfully decline to respond to your inquiries.”
He maintained that the hearing was political. At the beginning of the hearing, Fauci said that Sen. Paul had promised that if he could get him behind bars then he would do so.
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution states:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Senator Paul asserted that there were no valid reasons for Fauci to use his fifth amendment rights because of an executive order signed by former president Joe Biden.
The executive order provided that the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) would be protected from prosecution for anything he does or did between 2014 and 2024.
As well as stating that he would take steps to protect himself legally, Senator Paul indicated that there could be future legal action taken against Fauci for invoking his fifth amendment rights.
The main subject of the hearing was a series of Republican claims that NIH funding supported “gain of function” research at China’s Wuhan institute of virology which allegedly contributed to the development of COVID-19.
Fauci has consistently denied these claims and has stated that the research performed on the NIH funding did not constitute “gain of function” according to the federal government’s definitions.
Additionally, U.S. intelligence agencies have not been able to determine the origin of COVID-19.
2026-07-29 21:04:00
