Aaron Rodgers attacks Dr. Anthony Fauci over Senate hearing, mocks his decision to take the Fifth

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers renewed his public criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday, saying Fauci was a “coward” and a “criminal” for invoking the Fifth Amendment during a Senate hearing last week about the coronavirus pandemic.

Rodgers made the remarks while appearing on ESPN host Pat McAfee’s talk show, where he characterized the hearing and Fauci’s refusal to answer questions. Rodgers said, “Nah, I’m gonna plead the Fifth,” and repeated the point in a mocking manner, according to The Hill.

Rodgers’ comments were directed at Fauci, an infectious disease expert who has testified before Congress multiple times about the federal government’s coronavirus response. In the Senate hearing at issue, Fauci reportedly chose not to answer questions, instead taking the Fifth, a constitutional option that can be used to avoid self-incrimination.

The controversy is tied to ongoing questions about how federal officials communicated risk and policy decisions during the pandemic, and how congressional investigators evaluate those decisions under oversight processes. Rodgers’ remarks add a sports figure’s criticism to a debate that has played out among lawmakers, public-health officials, and other public figures.

The Hill reported that Rodgers’ Monday comments came after the Senate hearing and after Fauci’s decision to take the Fifth, which limited the substance of his answers during that portion of the proceeding. The report did not describe any new findings announced by lawmakers at the time of Rodgers’ appearance.

Rodgers’ criticism also underscores how public statements about constitutional rights in congressional settings can become a flashpoint, with “taking the Fifth” often treated differently by different audiences depending on the surrounding questions and the legal context.

For now, the record described in The Hill centers on Rodgers’ characterization of Fauci’s conduct during the Senate hearing and Fauci’s decision not to answer questions, rather than on any additional congressional action or new sworn testimony referenced in the same report.