Diary Entries from Dr. Fauci Show His Views on Covid-19 and Fame

Over 1,000 pages of a diary belonging to Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), were shared online on July 23. The story was primarily covered by outlets on the right, while some center and left outlets varied in their reporting and criticism of Fauci's entries.

The Details: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) shared the information on social media. The documents reportedly found that Fauci "destroyed records" related to the pandemic and asked individuals to delete emails after reading them. Some of the findings reportedly include:

• Fauci wrote he believed the COVID-19 fatality rate to be "more like 0.2-0.3% rather than 2.0%." He told the House Oversight Committee in March 2020 the fatality rate was "about three percent";
• Fauci ruling out a wet market in Wuhan, China as the source of the pandemic in January 2020, saying "Now we know the market was not the source, it was the amplifier";
• Accounts of private discussions with senior advisor David Morens, whom Fauci disavowed before Congress in June 2024;
• Entries stating that scientists were divided over the possibility of "deliberate insertion," the idea that Wuhan lab workers intentionally added a protein spike to the COVID-19 virus;
• An entry in which Fauci said he "convinced" New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Gavin Newsom's chief of staff to close schools, bars and restaurants, despite telling an interviewer he had "nothing to do" with public closures; and
• An email from June 18, 2020 where Fauci reportedly said lockdowns and closures didn't impact the spread of COVID-19.

Fauci is scheduled to testify before the Senate on Wednesday about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Covering Up of Information: The Daily Caller (Right bias), Daily Signal (Right) and The Federalist (Right) emphasized alleged contradictions between Fauci's public claims and his private written accounts. The Federalist wrote that the diary entries "further underscore how government officials lied to the public in the name of power and prestige." The California Globe (Center) wrote, "It is evident he lied about everything to exaggerate the impact of Covid and to make himself famous. This is the picture of a total narcissistic sociopath."

'Obsession With Fame': Many outlets emphasized that Fauci appeared to keep track of his media features and how the media portrayed him. New York Post (Right) and Fox News (Right) both called Fauci's writings about fame a "bizarre fixation," while the number of COVID-19 deaths "mounted." They also noted Fauci's comparisons to President Trump, where he wrote that he was becoming "a star that outshines" the president. Mediaite (Lean Left) also reported on Fauci's "obsess[ion]" with fame, writing he "watched like a hawk how mainstream outlets…covered him." The California Globe wrote, "Fauci's diary reads more like a star-struck teenage girl's daily chronicle of her very emotional life."

Skeptical Coverage: Outlets in the center generally reported on the diary with more skepticism. NewsNation (Center) emphasized intelligence findings that showed "no direct link" to the lab leak theory. Newsweek (Center) emphasized Fauci's warnings to Trump that he not "downplay" COVID-19 and mentioned Fauci described his relationship with Trump "considerably warmer…during the outbreak's early months." The Hill (Center) reported on Fauci's perspective on fame, but focused on his entries saying he felt responsible for sharing information about COVID-19 through his media features. It also noted Fauci discussing the "negative impacts…the attention placed on him and his family." Forbes (Center) emphasized a similar angle and cited entries where Fauci wrote, "The 'swag' around me is getting really ridiculous…I do not like this one bit."

These outlets didn't include much information about Fauci's written claims.

'Rambling, Crazy' Trump: The Guardian (Left) focused on Fauci's "growing disillusionment" with Trump. It highlighted Fauci's description of Trump as "rambling," "crazy," "an idiot," and "truly an obnoxious adolescent," and emphasized Fauci's alleged pleas to Trump that he not "underplay the seriousness of the situation." It briefly mentioned that Fauci "does seem to have been proud of his newfound celebrity," but primarily focused on the political fight between Fauci and elected officials over the pandemic.

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