The Kentucky senator said the Justice Department has one week to act on a criminal referral tied to testimony about federally funded research.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Sen. Rand Paul said the Department of Justice faces a narrowing window to bring charges against former federal health official Anthony Fauci, citing an approaching statute of limitations tied to prior congressional testimony.
In a post on X, Paul wrote that the agency has “ONE WEEK left to charge Anthony Fauci,” alleging that Fauci “lied to Congress about funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan” and asserting that “the evidence is overwhelming, and justice has been delayed long enough.” Paul also said he has reissued a criminal referral to the Justice Department.
The DOJ has ONE WEEK left to charge Anthony Fauci for the worst cover-up in modern medical history.
He lied to Congress about funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan. Millions died. Trillions were spent. And Fauci walked away with book deals and fawning media coverage instead…
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 4, 2026
The senator’s statement follows earlier disputes between the two men during Senate hearings in 2021, when Paul questioned Fauci about whether the National Institutes of Health supported research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. During that exchange, Paul said, “Dr. Fauci, as you are aware it is a crime to lie to Congress, Section 1001 of the US Criminal Code. Critics say a felony and a five-year penalty for lying to Congress.”
Subsequent disclosures from the National Institutes of Health acknowledged funding tied to research at the Wuhan facility, a point Paul has cited in his referral.
Paul first formally referred Fauci to the Justice Department in July 2023. He later said in July 2025 that he would renew the referral under the current administration.
The renewed push also follows reporting by the The New York Times examining internal communications related to a series of pardons issued near the end of the previous administration. According to the report, documents reviewed indicated that then-White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients approved pardons for Fauci and others on Jan. 19, and that former President Joe Biden “did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people.”
Paul said the timing of the statute of limitations has prompted his latest public warning, framing it as a final opportunity for prosecutors to act.
The Justice Department has not publicly commented on the referral or indicated whether any charges are under consideration.
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