Newly released diary entries from Dr. Anthony Fauci, former White House COVID-19 advisor, indicate a significant focus on his personal fame during the height of the pandemic, according to a report analyzing media coverage. Major news organizations, including ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, CNN, and MSNBC, did not feature these diary entries on their on-air broadcasts from their release on a Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.
The journals, released by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., as part of an ongoing investigation, document Fauci's daily activities. They include details of conversations with political leaders, media appearances, and personal reflections on the unfolding pandemic in 2020. According to the Grabien Media transcript analysis, the entries highlight Fauci's enjoyment of his celebrity status, his interactions with media personalities, and his evolving relationship with the Trump White House.
One entry reportedly suggests it was "not hyperbole" to describe him as "the most famous and talked about person in the country." These diary revelations gained traction on social media but were reportedly absent from the on-air programming of several prominent news outlets.
Specific omissions cited include "NBC Nightly News," "Today," "World News Tonight," "Good Morning America," "CBS Evening News," and "CBS Mornings." Sunday morning affairs programs such as ABC's "This Week," NBC's "Meet the Press," and CBS' "Face the Nation" also did not cover the diary entries.
On cable news, CNN and MSNBC reportedly did not mention "Fauci" on their linear television broadcasts during the period examined. The report notes that CNN anchor Jake Tapper is mentioned repeatedly in the diaries, with Fauci detailing phone calls, text exchanges, and dinners at Tapper's home. One entry describes Fauci's sharp response to a suggestion from The Atlantic's Peter Nicholas that a canceled Tapper interview had "humiliated" him.
Another entry recounts Fauci's exchange with CNN's Dana Bash, who reportedly texted him encouragement after a contentious April 2021 interaction with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Bash allegedly relayed a joke from Wolf Blitzer that no one would have blamed Fauci for telling Jordan to "go f--- yourself."
Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume commented on the perceived media blackout, questioning on X if the lack of coverage was due to the close relationships many media figures had with Fauci. Representatives for ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and MSNBC declined to comment.
The release of the diaries precedes Fauci's scheduled testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Network insiders have suggested that the busy news cycle may have contributed to the timing of the story's initial lack of coverage, with time remaining before Wednesday's hearing for potential reporting.