Insights from Fauci’s Texts on COVID-19 Vaccination and Pregnancy Emerge

Newly disclosed text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone provide a glimpse into the private discussions of top U.S. health officials regarding COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Released by Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul, these texts show Fauci, along with then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and then-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, deliberating on the vaccine’s use for pregnant women in January 2021. This period followed the initial availability of COVID-19 vaccines.

One notable message from Fauci, who was then director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, mentions that there was “no data or theoretical reason” to recommend vaccination at a specific pregnancy stage. However, fever and immune responses post-vaccination “theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” Despite these concerns, the officials highlighted the absence of evidence showing safety issues among vaccinated pregnant women and emphasized ongoing data collection efforts.

The release arrives amid intensified Republican scrutiny of Fauci’s pandemic management, paralleling the release of other documents like more than 1,000 pages of his COVID-era diaries. A Senate hearing saw Fauci invoking the Fifth Amendment over 100 times, and a Senate committee voted to hold him in contempt of Congress. The texts reveal unresolved questions from early 2021 when pregnant women were excluded from initial vaccine trials, and health agencies were amassing safety data.

Details from the Texts

The dialogue began with Murthy questioning Fauci and Walensky about whether pregnant women should receive vaccines at specific times. Walensky indicated a “data free” situation but noted the CDC’s pregnancy registry was tracking vaccinated women’s outcomes. Fauci affirmed the lack of evidence favoring any pregnancy stage. He discussed public concerns about mRNA vaccines, mentioning that immune responses “theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” Despite addressing these issues, the officials acknowledged a lack of direct harm evidence.

In another exchange, the officials responded to the World Health Organization’s caution against Moderna’s vaccine for pregnant women due to limited data. Fauci noted COVID-19’s potential severity during pregnancy and stated no safety concerns among over 10,000 vaccinated pregnant women. He also referenced animal studies showing no safety issues and noted U.S. authorities and obstetrics organizations supported vaccination as a choice between pregnant women and their doctors.

The texts are among the first released records, with Johnson and Paul claiming the phone holds over 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails. Newsweek reached out to Fauci, Paul’s office, Johnson’s office, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for comments.

The Importance of the Release

Johnson and Paul argue that the texts cast doubt on what health officials understood and how they communicated risks to the public. They highlighted Fauci’s mention of a theoretical miscarriage risk and contrasted it with later health official statements encouraging vaccination during pregnancy.

The release included instances of Fauci, Walensky, and Murthy’s statements asserting that available evidence did not show increased risks for pregnant women and that vaccine benefits outweighed any known or potential risks. By summer 2021, as more safety data emerged, the CDC and major obstetrics organizations recommended vaccination during pregnancy.

In 2021, the CDC officially recommended COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women following an additional safety review. ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine made similar recommendations. The Trump administration has since moved away from routine federal recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.

The Broader Investigation into Fauci

The text-message release is part of a broader examination by Paul and Johnson into Fauci’s pandemic role. Last month, Paul disclosed over 1,000 pages of Fauci’s diaries before subpoenaing him to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. These diaries documented internal government discussions, disagreements about COVID-19 origins, and public messaging challenges.

Highlighted by Republicans were initial discussions on whether the virus might have originated in a lab and frustrations with the federal response. However, reviews noted that many entries reflected uncertainties and debates that Fauci publicly acknowledged.

Paul has alleged that Fauci misled Congress and the public about issues like COVID-19’s origins and research in China. Fauci has consistently denied these allegations.

Fauci’s Fifth Amendment Use

The texts were released not long after a Senate committee voted to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress following his refusal to answer questions at a July hearing. Fauci cited the Fifth Amendment, stating that Paul’s longstanding calls for his prosecution posed legal risks. His attorney maintained that Fauci was invoking a valid constitutional right.

Paul contends that Fauci improperly relied on the Fifth Amendment due to a sweeping pardon by former President Joe Biden, which covered potential offenses related to Fauci’s government service from 2014 to January 2025. Paul believes this removed federal prosecution risk during this period.

Fauci’s defenders argue that the pardon does not protect against potential future perjury charges or legal exposure from new testimonies, so the Fifth Amendment might still apply. Legal experts have varied opinions on this matter.

What Lies Ahead

Johnson and Paul suggest that more material from Fauci’s phone could be made public after staff reviews the device’s contents. The senators state the records include thousands of messages and numerous voicemails.