Full Breakdown
Rand Paul Releases Dr. Fauci’s Pandemic Diary, Accuses Former Health Official of “Astounding” Dishonesty
7/28/2026, 8:25:41 PM
Release of the Diary and Upcoming Testimony
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) disclosed more than 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci’s private diary entries covering December 2019-December 2022. The release comes before a subpoenaed hearing where Fauci is slated to appear before Paul’s committee on Wednesday. Fauci declined comment to CBS News.
Diary Content on COVID-19 Origins
In a January 2020 entry Fauci wrote, “Now we know the market was not the source, it was the amplifier.” The diary also notes a January 2020 note indicating Fauci knew the Wuhan market was not the origin, yet he publicly supported the “Proximal Origins” paper that argued a natural spillover.
Fauci’s Reflections on Fame and Political Interactions
The diary records Fauci’s view of his public profile: “The situation with my national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable… I am the most famous and talked-about person in the country.” He also expressed frustration with the president’s criticisms, calling Trump an “idiot” for posting inaccurate death figures.
Official Responses and Subpoena Proceedings
Paul highlighted the January 2020 entry as evidence Fauci concealed the market’s role while promoting the natural-origin narrative. He has referred Fauci to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. Fauci later wrote that Paul “looked him in the eye and told him that if anybody is lying here it is he,” describing Paul’s attacks as a continued assault.
Conflicting Assessments of Virus Origin
Scientific consensus favors a natural zoonotic spillover, citing bat-derived viruses. The FBI has assessed the coronavirus “most likely” emerged from a “lab incident in Wuhan,” while a CIA January 2025 assessment favored the “lab leak” hypothesis with “low confidence.” These divergent government evaluations illustrate the politicized nature of the debate.
Data & Statistics
Verbatim Quotes
- “Now we know the market was not the source, it was the amplifier,” — Dr. Fauci
- “The situation with my national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable.” — Dr. Fauci
- “I finished by looking him in the eye and telling him that if anybody is lying here it is he," Fauci wrote.” — Dr. Fauci
