Newly surfaced coverage of Dr Anthony Fauci's pandemic-era diaries adds a sharper angle to the story: alongside entries on Donald Trump, Julia Roberts and Hunter Biden, related reporting suggests the notes show Fauci preoccupied with celebrity and media attention even as COVID-19 deaths continued to rise. The diaries were released by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican and long-standing critic of Fauci's handling of the pandemic response.

The entries chronicle Fauci's day-to-day involvement in the government's COVID-19 effort, touching on his interactions with political figures, television personalities and celebrities during his time as America's top infectious disease official. Their release comes as Fauci faces renewed scrutiny, including a forthcoming Senate hearing on the origins of COVID-19 at which he is expected to testify.