Escalation: Rand Paul Subpoenaed Fauci for Testimony

On June 22, 2026, Senator Rand Paul issued a subpoena to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, after Fauci declined to testify voluntarily about the origins of COVID-19.

This subpoena follows a long-standing dispute between Fauci and Republican lawmakers regarding the federal government's handling of the pandemic and the virus's origins. Paul accused Fauci of avoiding previous commitments to testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The move comes shortly after former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released declassified documents alleging that Fauci misled Congress about COVID-19 and his involvement in funding research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Paul stated that negotiations with Fauci for testimony had been ongoing for some time, and he expressed frustration over what he described as Fauci's slow response to requests for information.

Fauci is now expected to appear before the Senate committee next month, where he will face questioning about the allegations and his role in the pandemic's early response.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources