Dr. Anthony Fauci played a key role in communicating COVID-19 policies under two U.S. administrations. He provided guidance on the pandemic that affected both the nation and the globe. However, there is one aspect Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., claims Fauci never addressed in his numerous media appearances and hearings: an apology.
Paul stated, “I’d like to hear him say he’s sorry. Can he apologize for supporting the research in China, which was dangerous? Almost everyone agrees on that point.”
Dr. Fauci, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on June 3, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
“Now he says, ‘Oh, well, it didn’t meet this definition or that one, but it was dangerous research,'” Paul continued. “It was a mistake in judgment. A profound one.”
Paul and Fauci are expected to confront each other in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which Paul heads. This awaited meeting follows years of tension.
Ahead of the hearing, Paul released over 1,000 pages from Fauci’s diary, offering his insights on Fauci’s actions during the pandemic.
Sen. Paul focused on Fauci since COVID-19 started, accusing him of funding research in China that could have led to the virus outbreak. Although Fauci stepped down from his NIH role in 2022, the hearing presents a chance for the two to debate.
Paul remarked, “I think he’d perform better in the hearing by apologizing for funding this research. No one’s heard an apology from him, only claims of no wrongdoing.”
Paul believes Fauci deserves imprisonment for allegedly supporting gain-of-function research. He also warned that a pardon from former President Joe Biden would not protect Fauci.
Dr. David Morens, Fauci’s former advisor, faced indictment for allegedly attempting to bypass public records laws related to COVID-19. Gain-of-function research focuses on enhancing a virus’s transmissibility or lethality. Paul’s arguments against Fauci center on his alleged support for such research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
Paul discussed past virus research, mentioning 2010 work by Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier that made H5N1, or bird flu, transmissible via air between mammals. Paul noted the scientific community’s alarm, “half the scientific community said, ‘Oh my God, this could be catastrophic. We’re doing this,’” he said.
Paul highlighted Fauci’s stance in a Washington Post op-ed, where Fauci argued that even if a pandemic resulted from scientific error, the gained knowledge was worth the risk. Paul questioned this, “Is the knowledge of creating potentially deadly viruses worth the risks? I don’t think so.”
Alex Miller reports for Fox News Digital on the U.S. Senate.
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