Senate-Released Fauci Texts Saying Fever After 2nd COVID Dose Could 'Theoretically' Link To Miscarriage Prompt Political Backlash

Senate investigators on Monday released text messages from January 2021 taken from Dr. Anthony Fauci's government-issued cellphone that show the then-NIAID director privately raising a theoretical concern that fever and other reactions following a second COVID-19 vaccine dose "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester." The messages have since provoked sharp criticism from several Republican officials and renewed debate over how vaccine safety was communicated to pregnant women during the rollout.

What The Messages Say

In the January 2021 exchange, Fauci discussed post-vaccination symptoms after a second dose and wrote that such a reaction "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester." The texts were released by Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who said the messages raise questions about public messaging and informed consent.

James Uthmeier accused Fauci of withholding information about potential vaccine risks to pregnant women and questioned whether his guidance may have contributed to miscarriages.

Political Responses

Sen. Rand Paul accused Fauci of saying one thing publicly and another privately, posting that Fauci "was willing to put women and their unborn children at risk instead of admitting that he was wrong about the vaccines." Sen. Ron Johnson's office said the findings "could have an immediate impact [on] public health and the principle of informed consent."

"Once again, Anthony Fauci was saying one thing in public and something completely different in private." — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also criticized Fauci on social media, asking how many women may have lost pregnancies, while former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called for his arrest and alleged the vaccines caused miscarriages. These comments reflect a politically charged response to the newly released messages.

FILE - Dr. Anthony Fauci testifying on Capitol Hill on Jan. 11, 2022.

Context And Earlier Statements

At the time of the messages, Fauci had publicly stated there were "no data or theoretical reason" to prefer vaccination earlier in pregnancy rather than later, and noted that more than 10,000 pregnant women had already been vaccinated with "no issues" reported. The texts also reference Dr. Vivek Murthy, who later became U.S. Surgeon General; Murthy flagged a World Health Organization recommendation that had advised caution regarding Moderna's vaccine for pregnant women because of limited data and warned that a strong negative recommendation based on limited evidence could harm public confidence among pregnant women.

Ongoing Debate

The released text messages have reignited discussion about how vaccine information was communicated to pregnant patients and whether officials adequately balanced emerging, limited data with public-health messaging. Investigators and public-health experts continue to weigh the significance of theoretical concerns raised in internal communications against contemporaneous public statements and the available safety data.

Reporting note: The messages were made public by a Senate committee; Fox News Digital's reporting was among outlets covering the release. The texts are dated January 2021 and were taken from Fauci's government-issued phone.