Trump: No Talks With Blanche, Pirro on Fauci Prosecution

President Donald Trump said Monday he has not spoken with Attorney General Todd Blanche or US Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro about the possibility of prosecuting Dr. Anthony Fauci following the former health official's repeated invocations of the Fifth Amendment during recent Senate testimony.

When asked by reporters whether he had discussed the matter with either official, Trump stated: "I have not spoken to him about that, no."

Last week, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-5 along party lines to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he declined to answer questions issued under subpoena concerning his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. During a July 29 hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 100 times rather than respond to lawmakers' questions.

Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul announced Thursday that the committee had formally referred the contempt citation to both the Justice Department and Pirro's office for possible prosecution. The Justice Department acknowledged receiving the referral and said it is currently reviewing the matter.

Fauci retired from government service in 2022 after leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades. Before leaving office in January 2025, President Joe Biden granted Fauci a preemptive presidential pardon.