Dr. Fauci shut down Sen. Rand Paul during Senate Hearing — and Twitter loved it

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) found themselves embroiled in a heated exchange amid a Senate hearing on Tuesday, during which Senator Paul insinuated Fauci lied to Congress regarding the origins of Covid-19.

“Knowing it’s a crime to lie to congress, do you wish to retract your statement that the NIH [National Institutes of Health] never funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan?” Paul asked Fauci, referencing a conspiracy that Covid-19 leaked from a laboratory in the city of Wuhan. “Gain of function research” refers to studying disease by increasing its transmission.

“Senator Paul, I have never lied before the congress. I do not retract that statement,“ the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases retorted, reiterating that various qualified experts have evaluated the issue, and paper to which Paul was referring — all of whom concluded it was not gain of-function.

Senator Paul then interrupts the health expert, further questioning his claims.

“Senator Paul, you do not know what you are talking about, quite frankly. And I want to say that officially. You do not know what you are talking about,” Fauci shot back, his patience clearly running thin.

“We don’t know that it did come from the lab, but all the evidence is pointing that it came from the lab, and there will be responsibility for those who funded the lab, including yourself,” Paul insisted.

“I totally resent the lie that you are now propagating, Senator, because if you look at the viruses that were used in the experiments that were given in the annual reports that were published in the literature, it is molecularly impossible” for those to “result in Covid-19,” Fauci then explained, as Paul proceeded to interrupt.

“And you are implying that we did was responsible for the deaths of individuals? I totally resent that. And if anybody is lying here, Senator, it is you,” Fauci concluded, pointing his finger at the Kentucky politician.

Twitter, in awe of the interaction, had thoughts on how Fauci handled himself — and they loved it.

Dozens of Fauci enthusiasts took to Twitter to express their support for Fauci putting Paul in his place.

Fauci Ouchie has a whole new meaning, indeed.