Senator Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, directly confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci during a Senate hearing, sharply criticizing the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases over the government's COVID-19 policies. Moreno questioned Fauci's authority and decision-making during the pandemic, specifically targeting lockdown mandates, school closures, and vaccine requirements.
"Who the f–k do you think you were for doing that?" Moreno asked Fauci, referencing the period of widespread public health mandates. The senator recounted that individuals who questioned or opposed the prevailing COVID-19 narratives, such as referring to the virus by its origin, adhering to a six-foot social distancing rule, or opting out of vaccination, were often ostracized.
Moreno stated that certain actions taken during the pandemic, including the closure of schools and the vaccine mandate that led to job losses for some, including military personnel, were "catastrophically stupid." He recalled reading a news report about a mother and her children being arrested for not wearing masks while outdoors at a football game, an event that he said prompted his decision to run for political office.
"When that story broke, I said to myself, ‘I cannot stand idly on the side and watch this happen,'" Moreno told Fauci. He explained that this realization, approximately six years prior, led him to sell his businesses and pursue a career in the U.S. Senate. The confrontation occurred during a Senate hearing where Fauci appeared, with audience members critical of COVID-19 narratives standing behind him.