Diary entries written by Dr. Anthony Fauci in March 2020 reveal he directly advised major state and local officials to close schools during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to documents released this week by Senator Rand Paul’s office.
The entries appear to contradict Fauci’s repeated public assertions over several years that he bore no responsibility for school closures that affected millions of American children.
The documents are part of a 1,141-page collection titled “Tony’s Diary” released by Senator Paul, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, ahead of Fauci’s scheduled testimony before the panel on Wednesday.
Documented Conversations with State Officials
According to the diary entries, on March 9, 2020, Fauci documented a phone call with then-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo reportedly sought advice on whether to close schools in the Orthodox Jewish section of Westchester County, where COVID-19 cases were elevated compared to other areas. Fauci wrote that he told Cuomo “yes.”
Six days later, on March 15, Fauci recorded a conversation with then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. In that entry, Fauci wrote that he “convinced” de Blasio to close New York City schools, though he noted the mayor had already been leaning toward that decision based on Fauci’s television appearances. Fauci also documented telling de Blasio to close bars and restaurants, with the mayor indicating he would act on Fauci’s recommendation.
On the same day, according to the diary, Fauci spoke with Ann O’Leary, who was then chief of staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom. The entry indicates O’Leary told Fauci that based on his recent television appearances, Newsom had decided to close schools in California along with bars and restaurants.
New York City’s public school system shut down the following day, on March 16, 2020.
Public Statements at Odds with Private Records
The diary entries stand in sharp contrast to statements Fauci made publicly in subsequent years. In 2022, he told interviewers, “They always come back and say, Fauci was responsible for closing schools. I had nothing to do—I mean, let’s get down to the facts.”
The newly released documents suggest Fauci played a more direct advisory role in closure decisions than his public statements indicated. The diary also shows he supported 15-day mitigation guidelines that explicitly called for closing schools in areas experiencing community spread of the virus.
Later entries reportedly show Fauci criticizing President Donald Trump’s efforts to reopen schools and expressing disapproval of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s decision to move forward with reopening. According to the documents, Fauci privately complained that Trump “does not care about the safety of the children” while working to limit reopenings in areas with uncontrolled viral spread.
Senator Paul Highlights Discrepancies
Senator Paul has emphasized what he characterizes as significant differences between Fauci’s private writings and his public statements. The Kentucky Republican, who has been a longtime critic of Fauci’s pandemic response, indicated he plans to question the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director about these discrepancies during Wednesday’s testimony.
Paul also suggested the diary contains evidence that Fauci may have directed staff to destroy federal records, a matter he intends to address under oath.
Additional Revelations in Diary
Beyond the school closure entries, the diary reportedly contains other notable passages. Early entries from 2020 show Fauci and former CDC Director Tom Frieden discussing the virus as acting “like a bad influenza” with a case fatality rate “more like 0.2-0.3% rather than 2.0%.”
However, in March 2020 testimony before the House of Representatives, Fauci cited overall mortality figures around three percent. He later publicly stated the rate was approximately one percent, which he described as ten times more lethal than seasonal flu.
The diary also includes early 2020 entries indicating that top virologists had informed Fauci about concerns regarding the virus’s furin cleavage site, with approximately half believing it looked “constructed” rather than naturally occurring. This contrasts with Fauci’s public dismissal of the laboratory origin theory for much of the pandemic.
Celebrity Status and Personal Reflections
Among the entries are passages in which Fauci reflected on his rising public profile during the pandemic. On March 10, 2020, he wrote, “For better or worse, I am becoming an international celebrity. Calls from all over the world.”
By May 2020, with the U.S. death toll approaching 100,000, Fauci recorded that “the situation with my national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable.” He wrote that it was “not hyperbole to say that today I am the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable person in the world.”
The diary documents Fauci tracking what he called “The Fauci cult,” along with invitations to appear on “Dancing with the Stars,” “Saturday Night Live” parodies of him, merchandising including bobbleheads, and celebrity social media interactions. Some entries suggest he was concerned the White House was upset about his visibility potentially overshadowing President Trump.
Broader Context on Record Keeping
The release of these diary entries comes amid ongoing scrutiny of federal officials’ record-keeping practices during the pandemic. Senator Paul has indicated that issues of document preservation and transparency will be central topics during Fauci’s upcoming testimony.
The documents were made public as part of the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s investigation into the federal government’s pandemic response and decision-making processes during 2020 and 2021.
Fauci, who served as NIAID director from 1984 until his retirement in 2022 and was a key figure in the federal COVID-19 response under both the Trump and Biden administrations, has not yet publicly responded to the specific diary entries regarding school closures.
Source: www.thegatewaypundit.com — https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/07/fauci-bragged-his-diary-about-forcing-california-new/