Nicki Minaj renewed sharp criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci in an X post after he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment while testifying under subpoena before a Senate committee. She accused him of causing widespread harm during the pandemic and suggested he would one day lose his ability to speak and require a feeding tube. Sen. Rand Paul released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci's pandemic-era diary entries and pushed for a contempt vote; legal experts say courts have not settled whether a presidential pardon bars use of the Fifth Amendment for pardoned conduct. No criminal charges had been filed at the time of Minaj's post.
Nicki Minaj Renewed Criticism Of Anthony Fauci After He Invoked The Fifth In Senate Hearing
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Nicki Minaj renewed her public criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci after his contentious appearance before a U.S. Senate committee, publishing a lengthy post on X that revisited long-standing disputes over pandemic policy and public messaging.
What Minaj Posted
On July 31, the rapper posted a message accusing the former federal infectious-disease official of contributing to widespread harm during the COVID-19 pandemic and imagining a future in which he would lose his voice and require a feeding tube. She wrote, in part:
"Feeding tubes will be his portion."
Minaj singled out newborns, children, pregnant people, older adults and those with long-term health problems, and argued the pandemic eroded public trust in government while allowing unscrupulous actors to profit.
She also attached an apparent AI-generated image of Fauci writing in a diary — a reference to more than 1,000 pages of pandemic-era entries released by Sen. Rand Paul.
The Senate Testimony
Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29 after being subpoenaed by Sen. Rand Paul to answer questions about the federal pandemic response, the origins of COVID-19 and NIH-funded research. According to reporting, Fauci declined to answer more than 100 questions, repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
In an opening statement, Fauci accused Paul of having an "obvious obsession" with prosecuting him and said the hearing seemed designed to elicit testimony that could be used against him. His lawyer, David Schertler, described the proceeding as politically motivated; Democratic senators called it an entrapment attempt, while Republicans alleged Fauci misled Congress and the public.
Diaries, Pardon And Possible Contempt
Paul released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci's diary entries from the pandemic and urged the committee to vote on whether to hold him in contempt. Paul argued Fauci should not be permitted to remain silent because former President Joe Biden issued him a broad preemptive pardon before leaving office in January 2025.
The pardon covers federal conduct between Jan. 1, 2014, and the date it was issued, but it does not protect any conduct that occurred afterward. Legal experts told Reuters that courts have not definitively resolved whether a presidential pardon prevents a person from invoking the Fifth Amendment with respect to pardoned conduct — a constitutional question that could matter if lawmakers pursue a criminal contempt referral. Any criminal referral would still require further congressional action, review by the Justice Department and approval by a federal grand jury. No criminal charges had been filed against Fauci when Minaj published her post.
What Independent Review Found
A review by The Associated Press found that subjects highlighted by Fauci's critics, including early uncertainty about how the virus emerged, were also discussed openly in his public comments, interviews and his 2024 memoir. The diary entries show that scientists considered a possible laboratory-related origin early on while simultaneously investigating animal transmission; the precise origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains unresolved and is the subject of differing scientific and intelligence assessments.
Background: The 2021 Exchange
Minaj and Fauci were first publicly linked in September 2021 when she shared an unverified anecdote about a cousin's friend in Trinidad who she said developed swollen testicles and impotence after a COVID-19 vaccination. Fauci replied that there was no evidence vaccines caused reproductive problems and urged her to "think twice" before sharing unverified medical claims with millions of followers. Trinidad and Tobago officials said they found no reported case matching the description, and current U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance states that COVID-19 vaccines are not associated with fertility problems; studies of more than 1 million pregnant women have not found increased risks of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects or premature delivery from vaccination.
Status: At the time of Minaj's post, no criminal charges had been filed against Fauci. The matter — including whether a contempt vote or criminal referral will move forward — remains subject to congressional procedure and DOJ review.
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