Dr. Anthony Fauci's government diary, recovered from federal servers and released to Senate Republicans, includes a November 2021 entry describing a phone call with Barack Obama in which Obama used profane language to criticize Donald Trump Jr. and Donald Trump. The diary links the "Fauci kills puppies" slogan to NIH-funded puppy research that drew public attention. Fauci wrote that Obama was frustrated moderate Republicans did not defend him and that their conversation lasted about 25 minutes. Fauci later invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly during Senate testimony.
Fauci Diary Exposes Obama's Candid Critique of the Trumps
(Sipa via AP Images)
Excerpts from Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic-era diary—found on government servers and subsequently shared with Senate Republicans—reveal a November 2021 phone call in which former President Barack Obama offered blunt private assessments of members of the Trump family.
The more-than-1,000-page journal was located by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and turned over to GOP senators. Portions were later released publicly by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), prompting renewed scrutiny of Fauci's actions during the pandemic.
Obama's Remark, As Recorded in the Diary
According to the diary entry republished by The Independent, Fauci told Obama about "the crazy things that the far-right Republicans were doing," including that Donald Trump Jr. had sold campaign apparel labeled "Fauci kills puppies." In response, the entry says, Obama called Donald Trump Jr. "a f****** moron" (language as recorded) and described former President Trump as a "hopeless idiot" and a "pathologic liar."
The diary notes that the "Fauci kills puppies" slogan referred to reporting about an NIH-funded study in which puppies were exposed to sand flies as part of research—an account that drew public criticism and fueled political attacks on Fauci.
Context and Reactions
Fauci's entry also describes Obama as frustrated that moderate Republicans did not publicly defend the government scientist amid what Fauci called "slanderous behavior." Fauci characterized the call as "a great conversation" that lasted about 25 minutes, with Obama saying he would follow up if he learned of any relevant developments.
When contacted by The Independent, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle commented, "Barack Hussein Obama will go down as one of the most dishonest, divisive, and destructive Presidents in history." The Independent also reached out to the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama for a response.
Aftermath
Separately, Fauci later testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing some Democrats compared to McCarthy-era proceedings; during that testimony he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times. Senate Republicans have called for further investigation into Fauci's conduct during the pandemic based on documents and testimony under review.
Note: Quotations from the diary are presented with minimal censorship for profanity where necessary; they reflect language recorded in the published entry.
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