Dr Anthony Fauci declines to answer over 100 questions during Republican-led Senate hearing on COVID-19 origins.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a Republican-led Senate committee hearing on Wednesday. The hearing, led by Senator Rand Paul, focused on the handling of the pandemic and the origins of the virus. While Dr Anthony Fauci was granted a preemptive pardon by President Joe Biden in 2025, Republicans argue that the pardon does not protect him from perjury charges for statements made during the current hearing. Dr Anthony Fauci was accused by Senator Paul of misleading Congress and was questioned on whether US-funded research in China played a role in the pandemic. Dr Anthony Fauci argued that the committee was attempting to build a criminal case against him rather than conducting legitimate oversight. The Senate committee will vote next week on whether to hold Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer more than 100 questions.