Republican senators publish excerpts of Fauci's texts on COVID-19 vaccine safety in pregnancy

Senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky disclosed a limited set of text messages retrieved from Dr. Anthony Fauci's former government iPhone, part of a Senate subcommittee investigation into his conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic. The phone contained more than 34,000 messages and 522 voicemails, the senators said, and the released screenshots show 11 texts sent while Fauci led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

In a January 25, 2021 exchange, Dr. Vivek Murthy, then a member of the Biden administration's COVID advisory board, asked whether there was any data or theoretical reason to prefer vaccination early versus later in pregnancy. Fauci replied that no such data existed, but added that “since many people have significant cytokine storm and fever after the second dose, this theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the first trimester.” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky responded, “Definitely a good point, especially after dose two.”

A day later, Fauci wrote that vaccines with limited pregnancy data should be considered carefully, noting that COVID-19 infection can be especially serious in pregnancy. He also said that, although pregnant individuals were not included in initial trials, more than 10,000 had been vaccinated since the emergency use authorization and “no issues have arisen.”

The CDC later recommended vaccination for pregnant people on August 11, 2021, after reviewing data that showed no increased risk of miscarriage or other safety concerns, and continued to advise that pregnant individuals are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Subsequent studies have affirmed the vaccines' safety in pregnancy, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to recommend vaccination for those who are or will become pregnant.

Johnson and Paul said their staff are reviewing the remaining material and will release additional texts “as soon as possible,” noting that the disclosed messages could affect public-health policy and informed-consent practices. The senators also referenced other public statements by Fauci and health officials that support vaccination of pregnant people.

The release comes amid ongoing disputes between Republican lawmakers and Fauci, including a subpoena and a contempt vote after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment during a hearing. Democrats have characterized the effort as a partisan attempt to shift criticism of the pandemic response away from President Donald Trump.