Republican attempts to interrogate and denigrate Anthony Fauci are but the latest attempt to identify a devil other than the one they’ve taken up residence with.
This week, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and other Republicans subpoenaed the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to a mock trial on Capitol Hill under the pretense of seeking the origins of the COVID-19 virus seven years ago.
The energizing of MAGA anger directed at Fauci stems from the factual coverage of Donald Trump’s disastrous handling of the pandemic during his first term in the White House. Scapegoating Fauci is simpler than facing the brazen and reckless choices Trump made, including disbanding pandemic preparation programs, ignoring classified warnings of the danger, downplaying the threat of COVID, falsely claiming the administration had it under control, calling COVID a “Democrat hoax” and blaming the World Health Organization.
Rodney Kennedy
And don’t forget his obvious racism of labeling COVID the “Chinese virus.”
As a result of Trump’s demagoguery, the United States became the world’s epicenter of the pandemic.
Attacking Fauci is far easier than admitting the fantasy that Trump making America great again is a lie when the truth remains the country suffered three years of Trumpian delusion and wreckage from COVID-19.
The accusations are delusional:
- Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley: “Anthony Fauci has ZERO rights under the Fifth Amendment because Joe Biden pardoned him. He got RICH while people were DYING. He used federal employees with taxpayer money to apply for and solicit cash prizes. He needs to answer for it.”
- Jenna Ellis: “Well this was a train wreck. Accountability isn’t forthcoming for Fauci. Predictably.”
- Gary Bauer: “Anthony Fauci is no ‘national treasure’ or a ‘hero.’ He refused to answer questions about the lies he told the American people that were exposed in his diary.”
- Andrew Walker: “We would all be better off if the former government scientist who testified before the Senate today simply disappeared from public life. The most Christian response I can offer is to pray for his personal well-being, his repentance, and for God’s justice to be done.”
- Ted Cruz: “Anthony Fauci is the single most dangerous bureaucrat in American history. Not only did he lie, he’s a megalomaniac and he was willing to implement policies that hurt Americans.”
- Mike Johnson: “Now that our common sense objections were proven right, he’s hoping to dodge all accountability for the irreparable damage he caused to millions of American families.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) delivers his opening statement as former NIH Director Anthony Fauci testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on July 29, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
MAGA’s carpet-bombing of Fauci will continue until another “devil” jumps out of the bushes and speeds past the White House. Then the hounds of MAGA will join the chase until they tire out and become thirsty.
This is the pattern established by the fundamentalism that bred MAGA.
In the early 20th century, fundamentalists decided biblical scholars of higher criticism were the devils.
After the Scopes monkey trial, fundamentalists selected Darwin and Darrow as the twin devils of the Lord’s work. This anti-evolution movement continues unabated.
In the 1980s to the opening years of the 21st century, the evangelical devil was “homosexuals.”
“This is the MAGA template. Name it and defame it.”
Last year, when Bishop Mariann Budde’s appeal for “mercy” in her sermon at Washington National Cathedral upset President Trump and especially MAGA evangelicals, she was instantly attacked. She was dubbed a “demonic priestess.”
This year, when James Talarico became the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, the devil chasers went on a rant rage for a few days. He was derided as a blasphemer and a heretic.
This is the MAGA template. Name it and defame it. When the evidence fails to materialize, MAGA grows bored and moves on to the next enemy. Except Fauci is so appealing he keeps making repeat appearances in their fantastical dreams.
For MAGA, hyperbolic enemies created are more relevant than reality. They can attack with unmitigated jouissance without benefit of evidence or deep commitments or the guilt of consequences.
Anthony Fauci is but the devil du jour.
Rodney W. Kennedy is a pastor and writer. He is the author of 11 books, including his latest, Dancing with Metaphors in the Pulpit.