Rand Paul surprised Fauci invoked Fifth Amendment despite immunity

Senate Rand Paul surprised Fauci invoked Fifth Amendment despite immunity Comments: by Tara Suter - 07/30/26 8:11 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Tara Suter - 07/30/26 8:11 AM ET Comments: Link copied

NOW PLAYING

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he was surprised by Dr. Anthony Fauci invoking the Fifth Amendment during Wednesday’s hearing, despite a preemptive pardon from former President Biden.

“Were you surprised that he decided now to take the Fifth, given you guys have had back-and-forths in testimony previously, and why do you think he did?” NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich asked the Kentucky Republican.

“You know, I was kind of surprised, you know, he’s been granted a very broad pardon, a 10-year pardon,” Paul replied.

“The only person that I know of in history who’s gotten a pardon this broad has been Hunter Biden, maybe not the best category or company to keep, but yeah I was surprised. He’s been given a pardon,” he added.

Fauci, the former chief White House medical adviser, may now face a contempt vote before a Senate panel next week, after he pleaded the fifth during a fiery hearing Wednesday centered on the COVID-19 pandemic, gain of function research and recently unveiled diary entries.

Ahead of the panel, Paul released more than 1,000 pages of the doctor’s personal journals.

According to the senator, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, it was an open question if contempt was on the table due to Biden’s clemency. But, Paul said he plans to make the referral either way.

“We believe that with his … immunity from criminal liability, that he didn’t need to hide behind the Fifth Amendment and that maybe the Fifth Amendment doesn’t attach when you have a pardon in place,” Paul told reporters after the hearing. “That’ll be a legal question.”

One of Fauci’s attorneys was also escorted out after he tried to speak up.

Biden pardoned Fauci at the end of his term, effectively immunizing him from being prosecuted for any offenses “arising from or in any manner related to” his work for the government from 2014 to Jan. 19, 2025.

The doctor, who previously served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, has often butted heads with Paul. The GOP senator has consistently pressed the health adviser on the origins of COVID and accused him of covering up the U.S.’s involvement in a potential lab leak in China that could have released the virus.