5 takeaways on Fauci’s diaries during COVID-19 response

Healthcare 5 takeaways on Fauci’s diaries during COVID-19 response Comments: by Max Rego - 07/28/26 2:54 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Max Rego - 07/28/26 2:54 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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In years’ worth of journal entries, Dr. Anthony Fauci wrote about the uncertainty surrounding the origins of COVID-19, the media attention he received during the pandemic and his “unique” relationship with President Trump.

The office of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released the entries, which Fauci wrote while he led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, ahead of the longtime health official’s Wednesday testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee — which Paul chairs.

Here are five things to know from Fauci’s diary entries.

Expressed uncertainty about source of COVID

During the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, Fauci was unsure about the origins of the virus. The two leading scientific theories are that the virus officially known as SARS-CoV-2 jumped from animals to humans at a wet market in Wuhan or it leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

“We know the market was not the source, it was the amplifier,” Fauci wrote on Jan. 26, 2020. “Having said that, somewhere the virus jumped from animals to humans.”

Fauci also noted that during a Feb. 1, 2020, call with U.S. and international health experts, officials were in disagreement about COVID’s origins.

He wrote that Ron Fouchier, the deputy head of the Department of Viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, said “he was sure this could occur naturally,” putting him in agreement with Christian Drosten, the director of human virology at the German Center for Infection Research at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

But Fauci wrote that the nine other officials on the call believed “deliberate insertion” was possible, indicating they leaned toward the lab leak theory. Those officials included Francis Collins, then the director of the National Institutes of Health.

Former FBI Director Christopher Wray said in 2023 the bureau “has for quite some time” assessed that COVID “most likely” originated from a lab incident in Wuhan. Last year, the CIA said in a “low confidence” assessment COVID most likely originated from a lab leak.

Took some credit for state lockdowns

During a January 2024 interview with members of a House Oversight subcommittee on the pandemic, Fauci said he was not involved in local- and state-level decisions to close schools during the pandemic.

“I have often said we need to open up the schools as quickly and as safely as possible, and I must have said that 500 times on TV,” he told the panel at the time.

But Fauci’s diary entries show he was aware of his impact on policymakers. On March 15, 2020, he wrote that then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) decided to close city schools based on a conversation they had and Fauci’s public remarks.

“I went on to tell him he should close the bars and restaurants in NYC,” Fauci added. “He said that he would base this on my recommendation.”

Three days later, Fauci said he advised de Blasio to issue a “shelter in place” order for all of New York City, despite pushback from then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

Also on March 15, Fauci wrote of a “similar call” he had with Ann O’Leary, then the chief of staff to California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

“Ann said that based on my TV appearances today and yesterday, the Governor has decided to close the schools in California as well as the bars and restaurants,” Fauci recalled.

A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that the pandemic, and subsequent lockdowns, resulted in worsened development of social cognition skills in early childhood, particularly for students of lower socioeconomic status.

Reveled in some instances of media attention

During the pandemic, Fauci became one of the most recognizable U.S. government officials, speaking with reporters in the White House briefing room and appearing for numerous TV interviews.

In his diary, Fauci noted those media appearances on a daily basis. He also acknowledged news articles written about him, including a “very flattering” Washington Post article from May 2020.

“The situation with my national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable. It is not hyoperbole to say that today I am the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable peson in the world,” he wrote on May 21, 2020.

Fauci also wrote of the costs his increased profile brought, including death threats that required him to have a beefed-up security team. On Aug. 15, 2020, he wrote his newfound fame “is triggering increased hate mail and threats.”

In 2024, Fauci spoke of threats he and his family members received during testimony before the House Oversight subcommittee on the pandemic.

“There have been everything from harassments by emails, texts, letters, of myself, my wife, my three daughters,” he told Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). “There have been credible death threats, leading to the arrests of two individuals.”

Increasingly critical of Trump

While noting his increasing profile in May 2020, Fauci wrote that Trump “seems to be enamored” of him.

“We are developing a very unique and interesting relationship,” he noted. “The entire secret service corps is coming over to me and chatting.”

But Fauci also expressed dissatisfaction with Trump’s rhetorical style during press briefings. On March 22, 2020, he wrote the president’s remarks were “very rambling and disorganized” and he would have “advised against” Trump ad-libbing.

“Very laborious press conference where the POTUS rambled on,” Fauci wrote on March 27, 2020. “He wasted the opportunity to just focus on the relief package and went inot his diatribe against previous administrations.”

On May 15, 2020, Fauci wrote that Trump told him, “Tony, you are losing me trillions of f—ing dollars,” during an event to announce the Operation Warp Speed vaccine initiative. But later in their conversation, the president cleared the air.

“I know you better than you think and I respect you and like you,” Trump said, according to Fauci. “You need to do your thing and I need to do mine; as long as you understand tht need to keep this country alive.”

But in August 2020, Fauci blasted Trump as an “idiot” for misrepresenting the number of Americans who had died from COVID.

Fondly described celebrity conversations

Fauci wrote of numerous conversations he had with celebrities during the pandemic. In May 2020, he copied an email the actress and singer Barbra Streisand sent him, in which she wrote “I deeply appreciate the important and consistent work” he was doing.

“From the bottom of my heart I thank you and your colleagues for your constant guidance, patience and reassurance that we, as a nation, will find answers and make it through these times,” Streisand added.

Fauci also wrote that month of a “wonderful discussion” he had with actress Julia Roberts on Instagram. The infectious disease expert said Roberts “was absolutely fabulous” and “embarrassed” him by saying he was her personal hero.

“She was totally down to earth,” he recalled. “Great experience!!”

That same day, Fauci wrote of a phone call he had with former Vice President Dick Cheney, during which the latter thanked him for his work.

“He was muted in his criticism of Trump, but he did agree that Trump was living in an alternative universe (I said this and he agreed),” he added.