Senator Rand Paul Releases Dr. Fauci’s Journal Entries

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has released over a thousand pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s journal entries. This sets the stage for a potentially contentious hearing with the former top infectious disease expert in the U.S. The hearing will focus on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Paul, who leads the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has subpoenaed Fauci. Paul believes the virus originated from a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. He has accused Fauci and other officials of misleading the public about the virus’s source.

The journal entries span from December 2019 to December 2022. They offer insights into the early days of COVID-19 and Fauci’s role during the pandemic. Many scientists think the virus emerged naturally from bats, spreading to humans through market animals in Wuhan. However, the FBI believes a lab incident is the likely origin. In January 2025, the CIA supported the lab leak theory with low confidence.

Fauci’s diary reveals early uncertainty about the virus’s origin. In January 2020, he noted the market as an amplifier, not the source. He mentioned a conference call where experts questioned if the virus originated naturally.

On Monday, Paul criticized Fauci for publicly dismissing the lab theory while expressing different thoughts in private notes. In a May 2021 entry, Fauci commented on the press coverage of his shifting stance on the virus’s origin. He maintained that the virus likely came from animals but acknowledged uncertainty, calling for further investigation.

Fauci’s diary also reflects his media interactions and engagements with President Trump. He noted the significant attention he received, describing himself as suddenly famous. Fauci recounted early positive interactions with Trump, despite moments of disagreement.

An entry from May 2020 described a conversation where Trump criticized Fauci for impacting the economy but reassured him of their relationship. They debated mask-wearing at a vaccine event. Fauci felt Trump’s public attitude towards him had grown adversarial by August 2020. He called the president’s behavior erratic and criticized his public handling of COVID-19 death data.

There are mentions of Fauci’s tensions with Senator Paul. In an April 2021 entry, Fauci acknowledged Paul’s conspiracy theories concerning him and the virus. A July 2021 entry detailed an exchange where Paul accused Fauci of lying about research funding. Fauci denied these accusations and defended himself during a Senate committee appearance.

CBS News sought comments from Fauci and the White House. Paul’s office did not disclose how they obtained Fauci’s journal. Some entries mention Fauci’s response to criticisms and support from allies, as well as his frustrations with ongoing attacks.