Former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci privately expressed doubts early in the COVID-19 pandemic about the widely promoted theory that the virus originated at a wet market in Wuhan, China, according to recently released diary entries. These records, published by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), reveal that Fauci considered the market more as an amplifier rather than the original source of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
On January 26, 2020, Fauci wrote that epidemiological and genomic data suggested the first COVID-19 infection occurred in early December 2019 and was “not connected to the market.” He noted that early reports from China denied human-to-human transmission and claimed the initial cases were all linked to the market. Fauci indicated that the virus likely had been spreading undetected through sustained human transmission before Chinese authorities acknowledged the outbreak. Despite these private reflections, Fauci publicly maintained for much of the early pandemic period that the virus most likely emerged from animal-to-human transmission at the wet market.
This discrepancy between Fauci’s private notes and public statements has drawn criticism from some political figures. Senator Paul accused Fauci of a “betrayal of the public trust” and alleged a cover-up starting at the pandemic’s onset by downplaying alternative origins, such as the lab leak theory. Fauci faced similar scrutiny after it was revealed that a longtime senior adviser, David Morens—who was indicted in May 2026 for allegedly concealing and deleting federal records—operated a “secret back channel” to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests, which Fauci had previously denied knowing about.
Fauci’s diary also references a February 1, 2020, phone call involving scientists discussing COVID-19 origins, where most participants favored a natural spillover hypothesis. Fauci noted concerns about gain-of-function research carried out by Wuhan Institute of Virology researcher Dr. Zheng-Li Shi, who had studied coronavirus adaptation to human receptors. Fauci appeared cautious about dismissing the possibility of laboratory involvement entirely but did not publicize these doubts broadly.
Throughout the pandemic, Fauci’s public statements evolved. In a 2020 interview, he supported closing wet markets to reduce virus emergence risk, and as late as June 2024, he testified before Congress asserting the wet market remained the most probable origin. However, the diary entries and messages released in mid-2026 suggest a more complex internal debate.
Fauci is scheduled to testify before Senator Paul’s Senate Homeland Security Committee concerning his handling of the pandemic and his role at NIAID. The disclosures have also revealed Fauci’s personal reflections on media attention and celebrity status during the crisis, highlighting his increased public profile amid intense political and scientific scrutiny.
The revelations contribute to ongoing discussions about the initial response to COVID-19 and the transparency of scientific communication during global health emergencies. While Fauci’s diary suggests early uncertainty about the virus’s origins, how this informed official messaging remains a point of contention across the political spectrum.