Fauci rebuts Paul, saying he’s ‘egregiously incorrect’ on pandemic origins

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s top medical adviser, once again clashed during a Senate panel hearing on Thursday. Paul accused Fauci of lying about the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and called for Fauci to resign.

Video Transcript

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

RAND PAUL: On the same day the NIH said that, yes, there was a gain of function in Wuhan, the same day the definition appeared, the new definition, to try to define away what's going on in Wuhan. Until you accept it, until you accept responsibility, we're not going to get anywhere close to trying to prevent another lab leak of this dangerous sort of experiment. You won't admit that it's dangerous. And for that lack of judgment, I think it's time that you resign.

- Thank you, Senator Paul. And I would like to give the time to Dr. Fauci.

ANTHONY FAUCI: Yeah, well, there were so many things that are egregious misrepresentation here, Madam Chair, that I don't think I'd be able to refute all of them. But just a couple of them for the listeners to hear for.

You have said that I'm unwilling to take any responsibility for the current pandemic. I have no responsibility for the current pandemic. The current pandemic, OK?

Number two, you said the overwhelming amount of evidence indicates that's a lab leak. I believe most card-carrying viral phylogenists and molecular virologists would disagree with you that it is much more likely, even though we leave open all possibilities, it's much more likely that this was a natural occurrence.

Third, you say we can--

RAND PAUL: We've tested it 80,000 animals. And no animals have been found with COVID.

- Senator Paul, the time is for the Doctor to respond.

ANTHONY FAUCI: And third, you made a statement just a moment ago that's completely incorrect where you say we continue to support research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

RAND PAUL: You proved it in August of last year.

ANTHONY FAUCI: No, no, your statement says, quote-- I wrote it down as you were writing. You continue to support research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

RAND PAUL: You were in a committee a month ago and said you still trust the Chinese scientists, and you still support the research over there. You said it a month ago in committee.

- Senator Paul, I have allowed Dr. Fauci to respond. You've had your time. I'm going to give him--

RAND PAUL: If he's going to be dishonest, he ought to be challenged.

- Senator Paul, we will allow Dr. Fauci to respond after you've given accusations like that. Dr. Fauci?

ANTHONY FAUCI: Well, I don't have any more to say, except to say that as usual-- and I have a great deal of respect for this body of the Senate. And it makes me very uncomfortable to have to say something. But he is egregiously incorrect in what he says.