Newly released diary entries from Dr. Anthony Fauci chronicle his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a growing awareness of his own public profile and celebrity, according to Senator Rand Paul, who made the journals public.
Paul, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, released the diaries as part of an ongoing oversight investigation. The release precedes Fauci's scheduled testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The senator has previously criticized Fauci's handling of the pandemic response and raised questions about the origins of the virus.
Fauci, who served as chief medical adviser to President Donald Trump and continued in the role under President Joe Biden, documented daily developments and his personal observations. The diaries reportedly reveal a recurring theme of his expanding public profile during the pandemic, which resulted in millions of reported deaths worldwide.
On April 7, 2020, Fauci wrote about the intense media attention, noting, "Press still hot and heavy about me. Multiple stories per day directly or indirectly involving me." By May 21, he described his "national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable" and stated it was "not hyperbole" to say he was "the most famous and talked about person in the country."
He also noted his interactions with President Trump, writing that the president "seems to be enamored of me even though I am taking the spotlight away from him." Fauci also mentioned developing "a very unique and interesting relationship" with Trump and observed that Secret Service agents frequently allowed him through White House security without identification.
The diaries also reportedly document Fauci's interactions with the Trump White House and his frustrations with the administration's handling of the pandemic. On July 2, 2020, after warning of a potential surge in COVID-19 cases, Fauci wrote that "POTUS and his people have essentially dropped out and do not even recognize that an outbreak is ongoing."
Fauci also expressed frustration with White House communications officials for restricting his television appearances and questioned the administration's public messaging. He noted that media coverage increasingly portrayed him as being at odds with Trump.
Fauci also defended himself against what he described as "countless" profiles written about him, noting that White House officials were concerned the coverage made him appear as a "star that outshines" the president. He reportedly decided to stop participating in profile interviews altogether, stating he had "no desire to conflict with, embarrass or show up the POTUS."
The entries offer a personal account of Fauci's role during the public health crisis, detailing internal government deliberations, his private concerns, his evolving relationship with the Trump White House, and the significant public attention he received.