Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during congressional questioning, PBS reports

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the physician who led major parts of the White House pandemic response for Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, appeared before Congress under subpoena on July 2026, PBS NewsHour reported. PBS said Fauci is now retired from government service, but was summoned to testify as lawmakers sought records and answers related to the government’s pandemic-era actions.

According to PBS, during the congressional questioning Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times. The report described the hearing as part of a broader effort to press Fauci on his role and decisions during the COVID-19 response period, while also underscoring that Fauci’s answers were constrained by his constitutional invocation.

PBS also reported that the hearing drew attention to what some observers describe as Fauci’s public legacy and the political fight over accountability for pandemic policies. In a separate discussion segment tied to the interview, Katherine Wu, a journalist and author of The Atlantic piece “The Unmaking of Anthony Fauci,” discussed Fauci’s impact and how the controversy around him developed.

The PBS report framed the confrontation as lawmakers seeking testimony under congressional authority, while Fauci relied on constitutional protections against self-incrimination. In practical terms, invoking the Fifth Amendment can limit how much sworn testimony a witness provides on specific questions, even in an otherwise compelled setting like a subpoenaed appearance.

The appearance also highlighted how Congress has used its oversight power to revisit pandemic-era decision-making, and how that process can become a focal point for partisan disputes over government credibility. Fauci’s testimony, as described by PBS, reflects a common courtroom and oversight dynamic: questions may proceed even when the witness declines to answer on particular topics by invoking the Fifth Amendment.

PBS did not provide, in its report summary, additional details such as the committee name, the date of the hearing, or the specific topics Fauci refused to address. The immediate next steps for the congressional process, therefore, hinge on what lawmakers do with the record they sought, including whether they pursue additional subpoenas, request documents, or adjust the scope of follow-up questions.

For lawmakers, the outcome of subpoenaed testimony can carry consequences beyond the questions answered in the room. Even where a witness invokes the Fifth Amendment repeatedly, congressional committees may still use hearing proceedings to build a record for later legislative or investigative actions, subject to procedural and legal constraints.