Newly released text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone offer insight into private discussions among top U.S. health officials about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. These messages, publicized by Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul, highlight conversations between Fauci, then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky in January 2021. The focus was on vaccination for pregnant women shortly after vaccines became available.
The Text Messages
Among the most examined messages is one in which Fauci, then-director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, noted no data favored vaccination at any specific stage of pregnancy. He mentioned fever and immune responses post-vaccination could theoretically impact miscarriage rates in the first trimester. Simultaneously, the officials emphasized the lack of evidence showing harm among vaccinated pregnant women and ongoing data collection efforts.
The texts’ release aligns with intensified Republican scrutiny regarding Fauci’s pandemic management. This follows the publication of Fauci’s detailed diaries and a Senate hearing where Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment.
Examining the Texts
The exchange started when Murthy inquired if evidence indicated a preferred vaccination timing during pregnancy. Walensky responded, noting the issue’s largely “data-free” nature while mentioning the CDC’s pregnancy registry tracking vaccinated women’s outcomes. Fauci concurred, reiterating the absence of evidence favoring specific vaccination timing while addressing concerns about mRNA vaccines and potential miscarriage risks. The lack of direct harm evidence was acknowledged.
Another exchange discussed a WHO announcement advising against Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women due to limited data. Fauci countered this, citing the severe risk COVID-19 posed during pregnancy and a lack of safety concerns among over 10,000 vaccinated pregnant women. Animal studies and support from U.S. health authorities for vaccination choice in consultation with doctors were also noted.
Implications of the Release
Senators Johnson and Paul assert the texts raise questions about officials’ awareness and risk communication to the public. They highlighted Fauci’s mention of a theoretical miscarriage risk, contrasting it with later statements from federal health officials favoring vaccination during pregnancy. By mid-2021, the CDC and major medical organizations favored vaccination based on accumulating safety data.
In 2021, the CDC officially recommended COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, supported by additional safety reviews, with similar endorsements from ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Fauci’s Wider Investigation
The text-message release is part of a broader investigation by Senators Paul and Johnson into Fauci’s pandemic role. Last month, Paul published extensive diaries documenting pandemic-era conversations. These records encompass discussions on COVID-19 origins, government response disagreements, and public messaging challenges.
Among the diary entries were debates over the virus’s origins and frustration with federal strategies. The diaries revealed uncertainties and debates publicly acknowledged by Fauci at the time. Paul claims Fauci misled both Congress and the public on various issues, allegations Fauci has steadfastly denied.
Fauci and the Fifth Amendment
The texts emerged shortly after a Senate committee’s party-line vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress due to his refusal to answer questions at a July hearing. Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, citing legal risks due to Paul’s long-standing calls for prosecution. Fauci’s attorney emphasized the valid constitutional basis for this defense.
Paul argued Fauci could not invoke the Fifth Amendment protection due to a broad pardon from President Joe Biden covering potential federal offenses linked to government service between 2014 and January 2025. However, Fauci’s supporters argue the pardon does not protect against future perjury charges, validating the Fifth Amendment’s applicability. Legal opinions vary on the matter.
Future Revelations
Sens. Johnson and Paul suggest more content from Fauci’s phone may surface following a review of the device’s contents, which include thousands of messages and voicemails.