Newly released documents show a stark split between what Dr. Anthony Fauci told the public and what he wrote for himself. His private diaries from 2020 reveal an official who believed the virus acted like a bad flu, yet he testified to Congress that it was ten times more lethal. These records prove his public warnings did not match his private medical beliefs. The Senate Homeland Security Committee released 1,141 pages of these writings last week.
On April 6, 2020, as deaths climbed over 10,000, Fauci wrote about "intense publicity about me" rather than just the crisis. According to the Washington Examiner, he pointed out a "nice article" in the Washington Post alongside a "beautiful profile of me" by the BBC.. While families lost loved ones, he seemed focused on his growing fame. He wrote that the press was "going wld with me".
Fauci's entries show he enjoyed the media spotlight and felt he held power over the President. He wrote that the press was "crucifying the POTUS for 'not listening to me'". As the Washington Times reported, he expressed amazement that they praised him "for sticking to my guns.". This focus on personal glory raises serious questions about his judgment during a national emergency.
His diaries also reveal his view on political opponents. The New York Post — Politics stated he wrote that "far right grantees" and individuals such as Senator Rand Paul sought to "connect me with the virus from WUHAN.". He noted that his adviser David Morens heard people were trying to "bring me down". He dismissed the FBI's view on the virus origin, stating they had "no idea what they're talking about".
The most dangerous gap involves the death rate of the virus. On February 8, 2020, Fauci wrote that he and former CDC Director Tom Frieden were "on the same page". They agreed the virus was "acting like a bad influenza" with a much higher denominator of cases. Fauci calculated the fatality rate would be "more like 0.2-0.3 % rather than 2.0%".
Yet just weeks later, he told lawmakers the mortality rate was higher. In March 2020, he stated the mortality was "about three percent". Fox News Politics reported that he subsequently informed the House Oversight Committee the rate was "10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu.". He claimed seasonal flu mortality was "0.1" while his new data showed a much deadlier path. This shift in numbers changed how millions of Americans lived their lives.
Senate Chair Rand Paul calls these documents proof that Fauci misled Congress and put personal interests first. The committee also released records on Fauci's awards and prize money. Ethics officials reviewed these payments, approving some and blocking others, but found no rule violations.
New York Post — Politics noted that Fauci also acknowledged private discussions with an adviser who was later indicted for deleting federal records.. He claimed he had no knowledge of a "secret" back channel used to avoid public records requests. His diary shows he planned to call David Morens to "determine more details as to what is going on".