Anthony Fauci’s recent appearance before Congress on Monday, August 3rd, 2026, has brought renewed scrutiny to his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding school closures. While Fauci challenged critics to “show me a school that I shut down,” his own diary entries reveal he persuaded New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to close the city’s schools. Additionally, Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff reportedly told Fauci that, based on his TV appearances, the California governor decided to close schools, bars, and restaurants in the state.

Fauci’s pandemic decisions have been linked to setbacks in education and the destruction of many local businesses, with critics arguing some measures lacked scientific basis. Despite this, Fauci stated in 2022 that he was “very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee” and claimed in a CNN interview roughly four years ago, “I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done. … I’m going to do what I need to do, and that is cooperate fully, because we have nothing to hide at all.”

During his recent congressional hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer certain questions. The episode has also drawn attention to media coverage during the pandemic, with some commentators criticizing the press for their role in elevating Fauci’s public image.

Separately, a controversy arose involving a Times cruise for privileged children, where a report accused an individual of saying the “n-word.” It was clarified that the word was used only in the context of a question about whether a student should be suspended for using the term.

Sources