Fauci defends his work on COVID-19, says he has an ‘open mind’ on its origins 

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 03, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images).

WASHINGTON — On Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before Congress, defending his decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under two administrations.

The hearing, convened by House Republicans, saw Fauci questioned extensively about the origins of COVID-19 and his role in the response. This was Fauci's first congressional appearance since retiring from government service in 2022.

Throughout the three-hour session, Fauci addressed allegations of conducting official business via personal email to avoid oversight, asserting he had not done so. He emphasized his open-mindedness regarding the virus's origins and explained why early guidance evolved as more information became available.

“When dealing with a new outbreak, things change,” Fauci stated. “The scientific process collects the information that allows you to make informed recommendations or guidelines at any given time.”

Fauci added, “As things evolve and change and you get more information, it is important that you use the scientific process to gain that information and perhaps change the way you think of things, change your guidelines, and change your recommendation.”

Republican members repeatedly inquired about U.S. grant funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and whether the institute or another lab could have created COVID-19. This theory contrasts with the idea that the virus originated from a "spillover event" at a market.

Fauci testified that it was implausible that viruses studied at the Wuhan Institute under an NIH subgrant could have caused COVID-19 but did not rule out other origins.

“I cannot account, nor can anyone account, for other things that might be going on in China, which is why I have always said and will say now, I keep an open mind as to the origin,” Fauci remarked. “But the one thing I know for sure is that NIH-funded viruses could not be the precursor of SARS-CoV-2.”

He explained that a $120,000 grant passed through another organization before reaching the Wuhan Institute, which was a minor portion of the budget.

“If they were going to do something on the side, they have plenty of other money. They wouldn’t necessarily have to use a $120,000 NIH grant to do it,” Fauci noted.

Fauci testified that the NIH sub-award to the Wuhan Institute funded research on surveillance and potential emerging infections, not "dangerous gain-of-function research," a term whose definitions have varied in political discourse.

Actions taken early in the pandemic, such as promoting social distancing, mask-wearing, and vaccination, were critical in saving lives, Fauci testified. He asserted that without these measures, the death toll in the U.S. could have been twice as high.

Fauci detailed how information about the COVID-19 vaccine was communicated as it became available, noting that initial data indicated it could prevent infection and transmission. However, it later became clear that while protection against severe illness was durable, protection against disease and transmission was not.

“We did not know that in the beginning,” Fauci clarified. “In the beginning, it was felt that it did prevent infection and thus transmission. But that was proven, as time went by, not to be a durable effect.”

Republican members of the subcommittee, and others from various committees, repeatedly questioned Fauci about allegations that he used personal email to avoid Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

 

Fauci firmly denied these claims, stating he “never conducted official business using” his email.

Death Threats

During the hearing, Michigan Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell inquired about the threats Fauci and his family have faced amidst the spread of misinformation about COVID-19. Fauci revealed, “There have been credible death threats, leading to the arrests of two individuals. And credible death threats mean someone who was on their way to kill me.”

Fauci described how he, his wife, and three daughters have been targets of harassing emails, text messages, and letters, making him feel “terrible” about the situation. “It’s required my having protective services, essentially all the time,” he added. “It is very troublesome to me.”

Contentious Interactions

One of the panel’s most vocal Republicans, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, disrupted the hearing by refusing to address Fauci as a medical doctor, instead calling him “Mr. Fauci.” Greene further alleged that Fauci should be in jail, though she presented no evidence of criminal activity, and no law enforcement agency has charged him with any crimes.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, defended Fauci, stating that numerous GOP-led investigations have consistently shown Fauci to be “an honorable public servant, who has devoted his entire career to public health in the public interest. And he is not a comic book supervillain.”

Raskin apologized to Fauci for the treatment he received from some GOP lawmakers, likening it to how a "convicted felon" might be treated, and hinted at former President Donald Trump. “You probably wish they were treating you like a convicted felon. They treat convicted felons with love and admiration,” Raskin remarked. “Some of them blindly worship convicted felons.”