Grand Theft America / Receipt power-2026-08-06-101
Trump says maybe the Justice Department should prosecute Fauci
Asked by a reporter whether the Justice Department should prosecute Anthony Fauci, Trump says “maybe [Fauci] should [be prosecuted]”, shortly after the Senate committee chairman said he would refer Fauci to the department for prosecution.
What happened
Rand Paul, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said he would refer Fauci to the Justice Department for prosecution on his own, bypassing a vote on the Senate floor for the time being. A reporter put the question to Trump shortly after the committee vote. Trump answered by citing the prosecutions of Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon and concluded: “So when you see that happen, you sort of say, maybe [Fauci] should [be prosecuted]. What he did is far more serious than a lot of crimes, frankly.”
Why it matters
A criminal referral naming a prominent critic is sitting with the Justice Department, and the president has said in public which way he thinks it should go. Whether the charging decision is made on the record or against a stated presidential expectation is the pressure this indicator follows.
Receipt details
- Phase 2
- Turn law enforcement inward
- Lean on the prosecutors' charging decisions
