Senator Joni Ernst presented Dr. Anthony Fauci with her July 2026 Squeal Award on July 28, citing what she called his “unscientific methods” and role in “undermining science and the law during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Ernst’s Squeal Award is a monthly recognition she gives to government spending, programs, or practices she deems wasteful and in need of cutting.
In her announcement, Ernst accused Fauci of using deceptive methods rather than following the scientific method. “The traditional scientific method involves asking a question, forming a hypothesis, then conducting experiments to find an answer to your question,” Ernst said in a statement. “Fauci’s method is to deceive the public, discredit those who ask questions, destroy evidence, hide the truth, become a celebrity, pose for magazine photographers, and accept a pardon to avoid accountability.”
Ernst specifically cited Fauci’s role in funding what she characterized as risky research and his handling of the pandemic’s origins. She noted that she had led efforts to defund both EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, organizations she said received taxpayer dollars for coronavirus research under Fauci’s watch. Ernst also referenced a pardon Fauci received from President Biden, noting it absolved him of any potential legal liability.
The award announcement came one day before Fauci testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29. At that hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 90 times, declining to answer questions from senators about his handling of COVID-19, the pandemic’s origins, and his involvement in funding research at the Wuhan laboratory.
The Fifth Amendment invocation drew sharp reactions from Republican senators. Rand Paul, who chairs the committee, indicated he would seek contempt charges against Fauci. Ernst told Fauci during the hearing: “Americans are asking for accountability, Dr. Fauci, and your silence is very telling.”
However, the scientific community has largely defended Fauci’s pandemic response. More than 150 scientists and physicians signed an open letter ahead of the hearing stating that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges.” The letter said these conspiracy theories have led to a five-year campaign against Fauci and other public health officials.
The controversy over Fauci’s role in the pandemic response and funding decisions has persisted for years. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy concluded, with low confidence, that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak—a conclusion that conflicted with earlier assessments that suggested natural origins. Fauci has maintained that the scientific consensus supports natural origins, though he has acknowledged uncertainty in the pandemic’s earliest days.
Ernst has been among the most vocal Republican critics of Fauci’s pandemic leadership. She called for investigations into his funding of coronavirus research early in the pandemic and has repeatedly raised questions about his public statements on the virus’s origins and the effectiveness of various public health measures.
Sources
- U.S. Senator Joni Ernst — press release announcing the Squeal Award to Fauci on July 28, 2026, with Ernst’s direct quotes and details of her criticisms.
- USA Today — live coverage of Fauci’s Senate testimony on July 29, 2026, including his Fifth Amendment invocations and Ernst’s statement.
- Reuters — reporting on Fauci’s testimony and the Fifth Amendment invocations, plus context on gain-of-function research allegations.
- NBC News — coverage of Fauci’s Fifth Amendment invocations and the hearing.
- Fox News — reporting on Rand Paul’s threat of contempt charges and Fauci’s testimony.
- KOMONEWS/Associated Press — coverage of the 150+ scientists’ open letter defending Fauci ahead of the hearing.
- NPR — context on the Department of Energy’s 2023 lab-leak conclusion and the ongoing debate over COVID-19 origins.
