In January 2019, Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed privately that President Donald Trump “should be impeached.” This revelation comes from diary entries attributed to Fauci, released by Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. This disclosure marks the first time Fauci’s written words have shown him calling for Trump’s impeachment.
Previous diary entries, released last summer, had already revealed Fauci calling Trump “an idiot,” “out of control,” and “a true embarrassment.” The recent publication is the second set of Fauci’s diaries shared publicly, following the July release of entries spanning December 2019 to December 2022. Paul also provided a separate “prequel” consisting of records and emails from 2001 to July 2015.
Paul announced the release in a series of posts on X, sharing highlights from the diaries, which are accessible on his official website. This action coincides with a Republican-led congressional investigation into Fauci’s actions and records from his time in government. These documents raise questions about the political neutrality of former officials and the management of government records.
Newsweek contacted Fauci, who is currently at Georgetown University, for comments on this development. They also reached out to the White House and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for any statements.
Why It Matters
Senator Rand Paul, chairing the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is leveraging the diary in a wider investigation of Fauci’s actions. The committee approved a contempt resolution in August after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment multiple times during a hearing. The vote split along party lines, with a result of 8-5.
Democrats criticized the investigation as biased, noting potential legal repercussions for Fauci despite a federal pardon for actions from January 1, 2014, to January 19, 2025.
Fauci’s Private Views on Trump
The released documents fill a gap between earlier records and the COVID-era journal published earlier this summer. Labeled “Released by Chairman Rand Paul,” it highlights Fauci’s changing opinion of President Trump.
On January 21, 2017, Fauci noted Trump’s behavior as “amazingly unpresidential” after Trump criticized the press and boasted about his inauguration crowd. By March, Fauci’s assessment had hardened, describing Trump’s team as a “scary bunch” and “truly unscrupulous” amid proposed budget cuts to federal agencies, including the NIH.
The impeachment comment came during the 2019 government shutdown: “Trump is acting more and more bizarre. Should be impeached,” Fauci wrote, mentioning Democratic concerns about energizing Trump’s supporters.
Earlier entries showed Fauci’s alarm before Trump took office, criticizing Trump’s debate performance and dismissing him after the Access Hollywood controversy.
Lost Files and Meetings with China
The diaries also reveal lesser-known aspects of Fauci’s work. In July 2016, a ransomware incident encrypted Fauci’s computer files, resulting in the loss of documents meant to be confidential after the anthrax attacks.
Fauci hosted China CDC Director General George Gao in September 2017, praising his intellect and character. He met key figures in China’s health sector, demonstrating international cooperation and influence.
In January 2019, Fauci questioned the classification of intelligence on Chinese efforts to acquire Ebola-related technology, noting similar information was public in scientific publications. Later that year, he participated in a National Security Council meeting on Chinese genetic research in Africa.
These entries gain significance in the wake of COVID-19, amid speculations about the origins of the pandemic. Newsweek highlighted the role of online researchers in spotlighting Wuhan laboratory debates, although these discussions do not clarify how the pandemic began.
What Happens Next
The Justice Department now has the contempt referral, though it is not obliged to act on it. Newsweek’s report utilized Martyn, an AI assistant, in its creation.