In any normal workplace in America, a government employee who stores classified documents on an unprotected personal computer and loses them to hackers would face criminal charges—up to three years in prison, a $2,000 fine, or both. Federal law provides no exceptions. Yet for nearly four decades, one of the most powerful unelected officials in American history operated without consequence, untouchable and unaccountable. Newly released diary pages obtained through Senator Rand Paul’s investigation now reveal how recklessly this official handled national security matters.
The documents, part of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s so-called diary released by Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, show Fauci disparaged Donald Trump, praised Chinese health officials, and lost confidential government files in a ransomware attack. The breach occurred when Fauci stored sensitive materials—including records tied to the anthrax attacks—on his personal computer’s unprotected C: drive.
Fauci admitted he created the folder “for the confidential files that I made right after the anthrax attacks since I did not want them accessible to anyone.” He later added more sensitive documents there, labeling it a “Bad idea!!!” His diary entries detail the aftermath: “I was attacked by ‘Ransomware’ and my entire unprotected folder (CDrive – Word Files) was encrypted. Luckily, I had a backup of most of my historical daily notes and my autobiography was on a separate, nonaccessible folder. However, I lost all of the letters that I have ever written as well as other important documents in the Word Files folder.”
The negligence is particularly glaring when contrasted with Fauci’s public remarks. During the 2016 campaign, he wrote: “Trump made a fool of himself in the debate.” After election day, he criticized Trump’s cabinet nominee for health secretary, Congressman Tom Price: “He is against ACA, Medicare/Medicaid, abortion, anti-science and he is an orthopedic surgeon.” By January 2019, Fauci called for impeachment: “He is acting more and more bizarre. Should be impeached.”
Fauci also openly praised China’s CDC head, Gao Fu—whose agency oversaw the country’s pandemic response with documented lack of transparency. In diary entries, he labeled Gao Fu “very smart and nice guy,” reflecting a troubling alignment with Beijing despite his role as a U.S. health official.
The breach raises urgent questions: Who now possesses these encrypted files? Was it reported to federal authorities? Was an investigation launched? The American public—whose tax dollars funded Fauci’s office for decades—has received no answers.
Fauci’s pardon by President Biden covering all federal offenses from 2014–2024 further shields him. Senator Paul has argued this broad pardon should be challenged in court, noting it applies to “any and everything” across a decade. When questioned by Paul’s committee, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment. Constitutional experts have questioned whether pardoned individuals retain that right, prompting the committee to refer him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress.
The legal pathways exist—yet they remain unexploited. Anthony Fauci lost confidential national security documents to hackers, ridiculed the elected president while courting Chinese officials, and then sheltered behind a pardon designed to place him beyond American justice. Any ordinary citizen would face prosecution; Fauci deserves no special treatment.
