Dr Anthony Fauci, the former US chief medical adviser during the pandemic, has sharply criticised a book by News Corp journalist Sharri Markson in his newly released private diaries, calling it a “bunch of nonsense”. The diaries, published ahead of a Senate hearing on the origins of COVID-19, reveal Fauci’s dismissive view of Markson’s reporting that supports the “lab leak” theory.
Fauci’s Diary Entries Target Markson’s Work
In entries spanning the pandemic era, Fauci wrote that Markson’s reporting in The Australian newspaper and her book, which claimed the Wuhan Institute of Virology engaged in dangerous genetic manipulation of bat coronaviruses, “does not make any sense”. He specifically noted after reading an article by Markson in 2021: “Something is wrong with this report.”
Markson defended her work, stating she “led the way internationally exposing the role of Anthony Fauci’s agency funding 65 projects at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, funnelling the money through EcoHealth Alliance”. The diaries were subpoenaed by Republican Senator Rand Paul and released ahead of a Senate hearing where Fauci, 85, refused to answer questions, invoking the fifth amendment and accusing Paul of an “unhinged obsession”.
Political and Scientific Fallout
The release of 1,141 pages of Fauci’s journal entries has reignited debate over COVID-19 origins. Fauci, who served under seven US presidents, became a household name in 2020 as the face of the US pandemic response. His diaries criticise not only Markson but also broader reporting on the lab leak theory, which he has consistently dismissed as unsubstantiated.
According to Fauci’s entries, the reporting by Markson “does not make any sense” and he expressed confusion over the claims. However, Markson has stood by her investigation, asserting that her work exposed funding links between Fauci’s agency and the Wuhan lab. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between scientists and journalists over the pandemic’s origins.
