Fauci Subpoenaed After Refusing Voluntary Testimony
Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been subpoenaed by Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The subpoena comes after Fauci notified the committee that he would not voluntarily testify, despite having previously agreed to do so, according to Paul.
"Last week, Anthony Fauci notified us that he will not voluntarily testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, even though he had previously agreed to do so," Paul wrote on X on June 22, 2026. "Therefore, today we have issued a subpoena for him to publicly testify." Paul stated that Fauci would testify in July.
First Subpoena Under New Committee Powers
This subpoena is the first issued by Paul as chair of the committee, following a panel vote last year that authorized the chair to issue single-sided subpoenas without a full committee vote, as reported by The Hill. The move escalates Paul's long-running campaign against Fauci, whom he has accused of covering up U.S. involvement in viral research at a Chinese lab that Paul claims created COVID-19.
Paul has repeatedly alleged, without providing evidence, that the virus originated from a Chinese lab leak and that Fauci and other officials conspired to dismiss this theory as a conspiracy. Paul has also blamed Fauci for millions of COVID-19 deaths worldwide, per The Hill. Fauci has denied all allegations.
Background of the Feud
The feud between Fauci and Paul dates back to Senate hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Fauci served as the top infectious disease expert under President Joe Biden. Paul has called for Fauci to be indicted for allegedly lying to Congress under oath about gain-of-function research. However, Fauci has not been indicted by President Donald Trump's Justice Department. He received a full and unconditional pardon from former President Joe Biden at the end of his presidency, according to the Daily Mail.
In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Paul said the committee had been negotiating with Fauci "for material and for testimony." He added, "This has gone on for some time. He slow-walked us and slow-walked us. Finally agreed to come in voluntarily … then last week he says he’s not coming in. With this subpoena power, we will bring him in, unless he fights this in court."
Statute of Limitations Concerns
In May, Paul wrote on social media that the statute of limitations for the allegations against Fauci was about to expire. The subpoena compels Fauci to testify publicly before the committee, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute over the origins of COVID-19.
