Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) erupted Wednesday at Anthony Fauci during an explosive Senate hearing, blurting out an expletive while accusing the former government health official of being guilty of grave “crimes.”
Fauci was compelled to testify Wednesday before the Senate Homeland Security Committee to answer questions related to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last weekend, portions of his personal diary were published, which a number of Republican senators seized on during the hearing.
“It was about six years ago today that I decided I'm gonna give up my businesses, sell them all, run for office, run for the United States Senate. Here I am, sitting in front of you six years later saying who the f--- do you think you were for doing that?” a furious Moreno said before angrily waving his finger.
“It is a total disgrace what you did to this country. There is no defense of what you did. You may have had a 50-plus year legacy of public service, but it ends in total and complete disgrace.”
Moreno then asked Fauci, who throughout the meeting had declined to answer any questions and instead invoked his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, if he had “the dignity” to apologize to people “he harmed” during the pandemic.
Fauci again invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer the question.
“It's no secret why you have to hire the biggest dirtbag attorney on the planet because of what you did,” Moreno continued. “I hope you're paying him well, and I hope that one way or the other, somewhere, sometime, you answer for your crimes.”
"Who the f**k do you think you were for doing that?"
— Sen. @berniemoreno to Anthony Fauci pic.twitter.com/mjsf9vVVh9
— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) July 29, 2026