Newly released diary entries from Dr. Anthony Fauci are drawing renewed scrutiny after revealing that the former White House COVID adviser frequently reflected on his growing celebrity while the nation was in the grip of the pandemic. The journals, made public by Sen. Rand Paul ahead of Fauci’s scheduled Senate testimony, chronicle his personal thoughts during the early months of the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the diaries, Fauci repeatedly commented on the intense media attention surrounding him. In an April 2020 entry, as COVID-19 deaths in the United States had already surpassed 60,000, he wrote that the press remained “hot and heavy” with multiple stories about him every day. Weeks later, he described his “national and international fame” as “explosive and really unimaginable,” adding that it was “not hyperbole” to say he had become one of the most talked-about people in the country.
The journals also reveal Fauci believed President Trump was “enamored” with him despite his growing media profile. He noted that his relationship with President Trump had become “very unique and interesting” and observed that Secret Service agents had become so familiar with him that they often waved him through White House security without checking his identification.
As the pandemic continued, Fauci documented how his celebrity extended beyond public health. In one entry from June 2020, as COVID-19 cases were reaching new highs, he recorded receiving an invitation to appear on “Dancing with the Stars.” Other diary entries describe his frustration with White House officials over media appearances and his concern that news coverage portrayed him as overshadowing President Trump, prompting him to stop participating in personal profile interviews.
Sen. Rand Paul said the diaries raise serious questions about Fauci’s priorities during one of the most consequential public health emergencies in modern history. Paul argued the entries portray a senior government official who was increasingly focused on his public image while the country struggled through the pandemic. The release comes just days before Fauci is scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee under subpoena as lawmakers continue investigating the origins of COVID-19 and the federal government’s pandemic response.
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