Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), chair of the Homeland Security Committee, said emails suggest former NIAID chief Anthony Fauci ordered NIH staff to delete federal records, contradicting prior testimony.
Paul disclosed the claim in a letter to Fauci as part of the committee’s COVID origins probe, writing:
“The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is continuing to conduct its investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and risky life sciences research. During the course of its investigation, the Committee has obtained records revealing that you directed employees of the National Institutes for Health (NIH) to destroy federal records. These documents suggest your direct involvement in efforts to conceal information related to the Committee’s investigation and appear to contradict your previous testimony before Congress. Accordingly, I request that you provide additional information and formally invite you to appear before the Committee to clarify your previous testimony.”
Paul noted that Fauci testified under oath on June 3, 2024, before the House COVID panel, denying he ever deleted officials:
“Congressman Comer asked, ‘Dr. Fauci, did you ever delete an official record?’ and you responded, ‘No.’ Similarly, when Congresswoman Lesko asked, ‘Were you ever engaged in attempts to obstruct the Freedom of Information Act and the release of public documents?’ you again responded, ‘No.’ Additionally, when Congresswoman Malliotakis asked, ‘Did you delete any email or records related to the Wuhan lab or the origins of the virus?’ you answered, ‘No, I did not.’”
Reuters reported in June 2024 that the committee probing COVID’s origins found emails showing NIH officials sought to evade FOIA requests, with some, including a longtime Fauci aide, allegedly deleting messages and using private accounts.
Paul said committee emails appear to contradict Fauci’s testimony that he never deleted official records tied to COVID-19 or its origins, further writing:
“However, emails obtained by the Committee appear to contradict your testimony. For example, in an email dated February 2, 2020, you directed then-NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins to ‘Please delete this e-mail after you read it.’ In another email dated July 20, 2020, to an NIH employee you stated, ‘I do not want to engage any more with this nonsense. And so, please delete this e-mail after you read it.’”
Paul said he has “reason to believe” Fauci may hold additional records and requested a full list of his email addresses, phone numbers, and messaging accounts from 2018–2023. He also demanded all related communications—government or personal—tied to agencies like NIH, HHS, CIA, FBI, DOD, COVID-19, and the “Proximal Origins” paper.
The New York Post reported in May 2024 that a House COVID panel memo revealed Fauci adviser Dr. David Morens got help from an NIH FOIA staffer on “how to make emails disappear.”
Dr. David Morens — an advisor to Dr. Fauci — potentially used his personal email to delete federal COVID-19 records & evade FOIA laws.@NIH investigated this federal records violation but refuses to share its findings with the American people.
NIH, this is your FINAL warning⬇️ pic.twitter.com/iitCPtVkpg
— Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (@COVIDSelect) October 6, 2023
