Former CBS Reporter Says Questioning Fauci Got Her Pulled Off Air — Criticizes Media Coverage During COVID

Former CBS News Los Angeles reporter Brittney Hopper says she was removed from on-air duties for several days after she began publicly questioning Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic guidance, a claim she made while speaking to Australia's News24.

Hopper's Account

Hopper, who left CBS in 2022 and now works independently, described being on the "front lines" of COVID coverage — wearing masks, covering school closures and reporting through uncertain early months of the pandemic. She says that when she started to challenge Fauci's recommendations and the prevailing narrative, she was reprimanded and temporarily pulled from broadcast assignments.

Hopper criticized mainstream media for going to bat for Dr. Anthony Fauci despite more evidence against his recommendations.

"You weren't supposed to question the agenda and the narrative at that point," Hopper said. "I apologized, and I went back on air covering what I was supposed to do. I was their puppet on mainstream media for so many years. Hopefully more people are waking up to the lack of journalistic integrity we're seeing."

Reaction to Fauci Hearing

Hopper said she was not surprised that Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights repeatedly during a recent congressional hearing. Critics have noted he declined to answer many questions; Hopper called his refusal to testify part of a broader pattern that she believes undermined public trust in pandemic-era decisions.

Media, Guidance, and Diary Excerpts

Hopper criticized mainstream outlets for what she characterized as uncritical coverage of Fauci, pointing to contested recommendations such as the six-feet distancing guideline, widespread mask guidance (including outdoor masking in some cases), and prolonged school closures. She urged journalists to apply stronger scrutiny to public health officials' recommendations.

Dr. Anthony Fauci used his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times during his Senate hearing on Wednesday.

Separately, excerpts from Fauci's private diary published by critics reportedly show entries from 2020 in which he advised officials to consider lockdown measures — entries some say conflict with later public statements denying endorsement of lockdowns.

CBS Response and Context

When contacted, CBS News told Fox News Digital that Hopper had left the network before Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief in 2025. Hopper worked for CBS News Los Angeles until 2022 and is now an independent journalist.

What This Means: Hopper's remarks highlight lingering tensions over pandemic reporting, the role of journalists in scrutinizing public health guidance, and continuing controversy around Fauci's public and private statements during COVID-19.