Newly released text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government phone have sparked a contentious debate over his public assurances about COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy. The messages, released by two Republican senators, reveal that Fauci privately raised concerns about potential miscarriage risks, even as he publicly stated there were “no red flags” for pregnant women.
According to the texts, in January 2021, Fauci wrote to health officials: “I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of. Since many people have significant cytokine storm and fever after the 2nd dose [of the vaccine], this theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” Then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky responded, “Definitely a good point, esp after dose two.” Vivek Murthy, then-U.S. Surgeon General, echoed the concern, noting he had “been hearing the concern about the mRNA causing mutations in the developing fetus as well.”
Despite these private concerns, Fauci publicly stated in February 2021 that the FDA had “found, thus far — and we’ve got to be careful — but thus far, no red flags about that, about pregnant women.” This contradiction has led critics to accuse Fauci of misleading the public, especially given that he had heard from “female health care professionals” about potential issues with “injecting a ‘genetic’ vaccine very early in pregnancy.”
The release of these texts has prompted coverage from major outlets, but critics argue that CNN and The Washington Post have downplayed the significance of Fauci’s private statements. CNN’s Jessie Yeung wrote an article titled “Republican senators released Fauci’s old texts about Covid vaccines and pregnancy. Years of evidence show they’re safe,” which emphasized that subsequent studies showed the vaccines were safe during pregnancy. However, as The Federalist notes, these studies came after Fauci’s public assurances, and they do not address why Fauci privately raised concerns while publicly dismissing them.
The Washington Post’s Anna Liss-Roy and Rachel Roubein similarly framed the release as part of a larger GOP effort to publish Fauci’s texts, with a subhead highlighting that more than 34,000 texts had been recovered. Their article quoted Fauci’s public statements but did not delve into the apparent contradiction with his private messages.
Critics, including The Federalist, argue that the media’s focus on later safety data misses the core issue: Fauci did not accurately communicate the state of knowledge at the time. He did not disclose that there were no studies supporting his public declarations of safety, and he privately acknowledged potential risks that he never voiced publicly. This, they contend, could have had serious consequences for pregnant women who relied on his assurances.
The release of these texts comes as part of an ongoing investigation into Fauci’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Republican senators behind the release have pointed to the discrepancy between Fauci’s private and public statements as evidence of misleading conduct. The CDC later doubled down on its vaccine recommendation, but the debate over whether Fauci’s handling of this issue was honest and transparent continues to simmer.
As the story develops, the central question remains: Did Fauci’s public assurances align with what he knew privately? The texts suggest otherwise, and the media’s coverage of this revelation has itself become a subject of criticism. Whether these revelations will lead to further scrutiny or change public perception of Fauci’s legacy remains to be seen.
Source: thefederalist.com — https://thefederalist.com/2026/08/12/covid-shots-in-pregnancy-are-safe-and-also-fauci-lied-when-he-said-they-were-cnn-says-in-same-breath/