Newly released diary entries written by former top US health official Anthony Fauci reveal his growing frustration with Donald Trump during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The documents were published by Republican Senator Rand Paul on July 27, 2026, ahead of Fauci's scheduled appearance before Congress.
Fauci's Advice Ignored
Writing on February 27, 2020, Fauci recalled advising the president not to minimize the viral threat.
He told Trump that downplaying the situation could damage his re-election chances if the outbreak worsened.
Fauci noted that Trump quickly ignored the advice. "The next day, he again underplayed it," Fauci wrote.
By mid-March 2020, Fauci expressed frustration over the White House's focus on media appearances.
He wrote that Trump wanted two press conferences per day, leaving no time for actual work.
Pressure to Reopen
As states implemented lockdowns, Fauci's entries indicated concern over political pressure to ease safety guidelines.
He wrote that Trump was "desperate" to reopen the economy before Election Day, calling it "all about re-election."
Tensions worsened as case numbers climbed in fall 2020. Fauci described Trump's campaign rhetoric as "nonsense" and called him "a true embarrassment."
After the election, Fauci drew historical parallels to European authoritarian regimes, referencing Hitler. He also described Trump as "an obnoxious adolescent."
The journals showed Fauci maintained off-the-record contact with journalists, including a long conversation with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward.
Fauci expressed worry over potential leaks.
By July 2020, Fauci noted significant public support against administration efforts to discredit him. He wrote that most people were outraged at the administration's attempts to undermine him.
On January 26, 2020, Fauci reviewed early epidemiological data and concluded the virus did not originate at the Huanan Seafood Market.
He wrote that the market was "not the source, it was the amplifier."
Despite these private notes, Fauci publicly stated in April 2020 that the evidence was consistent with a natural jump from animals to humans, drawing criticism from congressional Republicans who advocate the lab leak hypothesis.
The diary releases also documented Fauci's sudden rise to global media prominence.
In late June 2020, he recorded an invitation to appear on Dancing with the Stars and a meeting with Barbra Streisand to explain vaccine safety.
Senator Rand Paul stated that the documents demonstrate a betrayal of public trust and announced plans to question Fauci during a Senate committee hearing.
