Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment on Wednesday and declined to answer questions during a Republican-led Senate committee hearing examining his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He refused to respond to questions from senators, relying on his constitutional right against self-incrimination throughout the hearing.
Fauci’s appearance came months after former US President Joe Biden granted him a pre-emptive “full and unconditional” pardon covering actions dating back to 2014 before leaving office.
Despite the pardon, Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment is likely linked to comments by several Republican lawmakers who have argued he could still face prosecution for perjury if he made false statements under oath.
The hearing also revisited the origins of COVID-19, with some Republican senators continuing to support the theory that the virus leaked from a laboratory in China.
However, many scientists maintain that the virus most likely emerged naturally before passing from animals to humans and later spreading through a wildlife market in Wuhan.
A Republican-led House subcommittee that investigated the issue in 2024 did not find evidence linking Fauci to any wrongdoing. Likewise, there has been no new scientific evidence supporting claims that the virus originated from a laboratory leak.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
