Following Dr. Anthony S. Fauci’s recent invocation of his Fifth Amendment rights during a Senate hearing last week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Health Secretary, intensified promotion of a book he authored about Dr. Fauci in 2021. Kennedy highlighted the book’s commercial success both on social media and live television, describing it as a top-selling non-fiction hardcover.
The publicity surrounding the hearing—driven by Republican criticism of Dr. Fauci’s ethics and financial conduct related to government award contests—has coincided with a noticeable lift in sales of several books critical of Fauci. These books include works by Kennedy, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Kennedy’s son, Robert F. Kennedy III. All three remain highly critical of Fauci’s role in the government’s pandemic response and funding of certain research projects.
Despite the overlap between political questions and commercial interests, ethics experts note that neither Kennedy, his son, nor Paul appear to have breached legal or ethical standards by selling their books. However, some commentators regard the dual roles as problematic. Kathleen Clark, a government ethics law professor, described the hearing as potentially serving more as a promotional platform for the involved authors rather than purely an oversight function, while watchdog groups labeled the situation as a case of “rich hypocrisy” given their accusations of Fauci’s profiteering.
The publishing house behind Kennedy’s book, Skyhorse Publishing, is closely linked to Kennedy through its founder Tony Lyons, who also supports the official's political objectives via multiple advocacy channels. Lyons emphasized that royalties from “The Real Anthony Fauci”—a book painting Fauci as aligned with pharmaceutical interests—are donated to Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit founded by Kennedy. He denied financial motivations behind Kennedy’s involvement.
Senator Paul, whose 2023 book “Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up” accuses Fauci of funding dangerous research in China, reported receiving over $275,000 in royalties between 2023 and 2024. His ongoing efforts to hold Fauci accountable include referring the scientist to the Justice Department twice and chairing a Senate committee expected to vote soon on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify.
Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made book promotion visible on his personal social media account, which boasts nearly six million followers. His financial disclosures reveal past consulting agreements with Skyhorse Publishing, which he pledged to end after his government appointment. Kennedy has also reported significant advances for upcoming books but committed not to engage in any writing, editing, or promotional activities related to them during his tenure.
The younger Kennedy, as a private citizen, maintains broader freedom. His own book, a fictionalized memoir of Fauci, is structured as a direct address from Fauci to readers and is published by Skyhorse.
Controversy has surrounded Kennedy’s claims of censorship; he contends that bookstores and major newspapers have refused to carry or review his book. He singled out one major newspaper for allegedly refusing paid advertisements and underreporting sales, though the outlet stated it did run an advertisement in December 2021 and clarified that its best-seller rankings are based on confidential vendor data.
Fauci himself has authored a 2024 memoir, “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” which spent weeks atop best-seller lists. In records made public by Senator Paul, Fauci described Kennedy’s book as “scandalous,” noting a legal adviser’s suggestion that no response was warranted given Kennedy’s lack of credibility—a view expressed years before Kennedy assumed the role of Health Secretary.
As political scrutiny on Fauci continues amid overlapping media and commercial attention, the intertwining of advocacy, publishing, and governmental oversight remains a point of ethical and public interest debate.