4 things Fauci's diary reveals about COVID, Trump and fame - USA Today

What the report says

USA Today reported that more than 1,500 pages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s personal diary have entered the public record after being obtained by subpoena and released by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. The diary, created and stored on government servers, covers portions of 2001 to 2015 and January 2020 through December 2022, including the pandemic period when Fauci led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. At a July 29 Senate hearing, Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right, according to the report.

The writings describe Fauci’s internal reactions to major COVID-19 disputes, including the virus’s origins, school closures and the Trump administration’s response. USA Today said Fauci wrote in early 2020 about examining theories that the virus came from a Wuhan lab, while later rejecting claims that U.S. funding helped create it. The article also noted broader context: multiple studies have supported a natural spillover theory, while a 2025 CIA assessment leaned toward a lab origin with low confidence.

On schools, the diary shows Fauci discussing closures with officials including then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, while later emphasizing that reopening decisions should depend on local infection levels. He also acknowledged the harms of closures for children, families and school meal access.

USA Today reported that Fauci sharply criticized Donald Trump in private entries, portraying him as focused on reopening and reelection, while also noting Fauci’s reflections on sudden fame and media attention. The release matters because it gives an unusual look at private writings by a senior public health official whose pandemic decisions remain politically contested.