Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared under subpoena before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, marking his first public testimony in the investigation.
In his opening remarks, he invoked the Fifth Amendment, declining to answer questions about his actions during the COVID‑19 response. Throughout the hearing, he repeated the invocation a total of 111 times.
After the session, a reporter approached him outside his Washington, D.C., residence and asked whether he regretted the extensive use of the Fifth Amendment. Fauci entered his home and declined to answer any further questions.
Republican senators used the hearing to deliver sharp criticism. One senator questioned Fauci’s motives with explicit language, while another accused him of profiting during the pandemic, citing a net worth exceeding $12 million and cash awards of more than $1 million.
Following the hearing, Fauci was reported to have voiced frustration to his spouse, including the use of profanity, according to an unnamed source.
