A Senate committee voted Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
against self-incrimination more than 100 times at the hearing.
Also, Iran said Wednesday it’s of drafting an agreement with Oman over the , and U.S. President Donald Trump has said a deal could be announced this week. The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran鈥檚 ports.
Here’s the latest:
Kennedy Center board to vote on closure next week
The board for the performing arts venue will meet Aug. 13 to consider whether to move forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting hasn鈥檛 been made public.
A federal judge blocked a closure that was slated to take effect July 5, saying the board vote authorizing it was 鈥渋ll-informed and seemingly preordained.鈥� The judge also ruled that President Trump鈥檚 name was illegally added to the building, ordering its removal.
As the board, which is largely composed of Trump allies, moves toward another vote, management is expected to provide several options for consideration. They include a complete closure, a partial closure with the resumption of some programming or 鈥減hased closures鈥� that would allow the full return of programming.
鈥� Steven Sloan
Trump to welcome Winter Olympians to the White House
The president is hosting dozens of Winter Olympians and Paralympians for a Rose Garden reception later Thursday to honor their accomplishments in the 2026 Milano Cortina games.
Nearly half of the Team USA athletes who competed in Italy earlier this year will be at the reception, according to the White House, along with coaches, staff and other representatives.
Three hundred U.S. athletes participated in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics this year, winning 57 medals in all.
鈥淧resident Trump will proudly celebrate Team USA鈥檚 historic achievements at the Winter Olympics with a special reception at the People鈥檚 House,鈥� White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. 鈥淥ur patriotic athletes showed the world American excellence, and their extraordinary performances united us all in our love of country.鈥�
Trump administration moves forward with Head Start overhaul, proposing to eliminate regulations
President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration said it plans to , tossing out many of the regulations that are the hallmark of the early education program for the nation鈥檚 poorest children.
Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start鈥檚 position as the gold standard in early education.
serve around 700,000 of the nation鈥檚 most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled. That wouldn鈥檛 change under the overhaul.
But Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Service, said the department is hoping to give Head Start centers the flexibility to change the way they operate. That means eliminating most of Head Start鈥檚 regulations, such as standards for low staff-to-student ratios or requirements to provide services to preschoolers鈥� families.
鈻�
Pirro鈥檚 office is the next stop for Fauci鈥檚 contempt charge
The Senate has typically considered contempt charges even when they originate with a committee. But Paul is sending the matter directly to the Justice Department, bypassing the full Senate in a move Democrats decried as illegitimate.
That means the referral will land in the office of Washington鈥檚 U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
That鈥檚 notable given how Pirro has drawn fire recently from President Donald Trump over her effectively disputing the president鈥檚 false claims that vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Pirro dropped charges against a man accused of damaging the pool鈥檚 new lining, saying it was instead the result of shoddy contractor work.
So, now, Pirro could end up deciding whether to prosecute Fauci.
Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress
The Senate committee on Thursday voted to and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the vote one week after against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the panel.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection did not apply since and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution. Fauci and Democrats who opposed the contempt resolution say he had a well-founded fear of self-incrimination given a public desire by Republicans to seek his prosecution.
鈻�
Senators joust over Fifth Amendment right
Republicans and Democrats are digging in on differing interpretations of Fifth Amendment rights a person can invoke when questioned by authorities.
Republicans keep pointing to a presidential pardon for Fauci, suggesting that gave him cover from any prosecution related to his Senate testimony. And they鈥檝e insisted the Supreme Court is on their side with a late 19th century case.
Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri noted that he purposefully asked Fauci the color of his tie and other basic questions to test the 鈥済ood faith鈥� of Fauci using the Fifth Amendment. Hawley was incredulous that Fauci would not answer those questions.
Democrats maintain that if the law it鈥檚 clear, it鈥檚 in Fauci鈥檚 favor. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the committee should delay a contempt vote and instead consider giving Fauci clear immunity from any perjury charge in exchange for answering questions.
Republicans voted that pitch down 8-7.
Democrats鈥� delay tactics get voted down on party lines
Democrats called for the first votes with proposals to delay the resolution against Fauci.
Those moves failed along party lines, with the eight Republicans prevailing over seven Democrats.
That includes Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma voting with his fellow Republicans. During Fauci鈥檚 appearance, Lankford told Fauci multiple times that he recognized his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment. Other Republicans followed Paul鈥檚 lead and excoriated Fauci for his choice.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also stuck with his party after deviating in tone during Fauci鈥檚 appearance. Fetterman wasn鈥檛 critical of Fauci but he did not, as many Democrats did, blast Paul and the GOP majority鈥檚 approach.
Paul defends the committee鈥檚 role as 鈥榗onstitutional obligation鈥�
The chairman firmly pushed back at Democrats鈥� assertions that he鈥檚 playing partisan politics.
鈥淥versight is not a courtesy this committee extends or a favor a former official grants us,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淎 subpoena is not an invitation. A subpoena with no consequence is not a subpoena. It鈥檚 a suggestion. Seeking the truth is not a witch hunt.鈥�
Paul said he wasn鈥檛 trying to entrap Fauci.
鈥淗e had no liability if he told the truth,鈥� he said.
Top Democrat questions Paul鈥檚 pursuit of a contempt vote
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking Democrat on the Senate panel, said the process to subpoena Fauci and now to hold him in contempt accomplish nothing to advance public health.
He called Sen. Paul鈥檚 work 鈥渁 one-sided investigation and a rushed process … that could harm our ability to conduct future investigations.鈥�
Peters also expressed concerns that Paul could send a criminal contempt referral directly to federal prosecutors rather than allow a full Senate vote. Peters maintained that would violate Senate traditions on how to handle contempt.
Paul says the vote isn鈥檛 about Fauci鈥檚 policy but his refusal to testify
The Kentucky senator used his opening statement as chairman to insist that the contempt vote isn鈥檛 about Fauci鈥檚 policy decisions during the pandemic, though Paul got in plenty of digs over mask and vaccine mandates and U.S. investments in Chinese research the senator believes could be responsible for the virus.
Paul, a Republican, said the vote is simply about whether a person who gets a Senate subpoena can plead the Fifth Amendment, as Fauci did more than 100 times.
The chairman emphasized that Fauci already has a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden. In the senator鈥檚 view, that effectively leaves Fauci with no Fifth Amendment privileges. Some Democrats and Fauci advocates have argued that the 85-year-old immunologist still could face perjury charges given Paul鈥檚 and other Republicans鈥� repeated statements that he should be jailed.
Rand Paul鈥檚 Senate committee begins meeting for Anthony Fauci contempt vote
The Senate鈥檚 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has begun its meeting to consider holding Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt because he previously refused to answer the panel鈥檚 questions about how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic in his role as one of the federal government鈥檚 top public health officials.
Republicans hold a one-vote majority on the committee.
The resolution would refer Fauci to the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office in Washington, which is led by Jeanine Pirro.
Iran says a deal with Oman is close
Iran鈥檚 Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has said , which lies on the other side of the waterway, is in the 鈥渇inal stage鈥� of drafting. Speaking Wednesday, he said a joint statement will be issued 鈥渋f certain parties do not obstruct this process,鈥� apparently referring to the U.S.
The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran鈥檚 ports.
The strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, around one fifth of the world鈥檚 oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
On Thursday, all eyes were on the U.S. for the next development.
鈻�
Senate panel to vote on holding Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer questions
The Senate committee is set to vote Thursday on whether to and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the Republican committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection didn鈥檛 apply since and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution.
But Fauci, in a statement issued before the hearing, said he had good reason to fear the possibility of criminal charges given what he said was Paul鈥檚 determination 鈥渢o get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote.鈥�
鈻�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
