Earlier this week, thousands of pages of email exchanges involving Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci were released in accordance with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from BuzzFeed reporter Jason Leopold. The timing is uncanny, as Fauci’s forthcoming book was announced and subsequently rescinded by Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Beyond that, the Wuhan “lab-leak theory” dismissed by Fauci and the media as conspiratorial last year has suddenly resurfaced as plausible, with the Biden administration looking to further investigate the origins of SARS-Cov-2. In May, a group of 19 epidemiologists and virologists published a letter in Science expressing that the lab leak hypothesis is still on the table as the virus’s origins remain unclear.

Fauci’s reputation has been increasingly scrutinized over inconsistency on everything from masks and vaccines to lockdowns and gain-of-function research funding. Several of his emails validate the criticism he has received, piling on the evidence that Fauci is not the patron saint he holds himself to be. One of Fauci’s harshest critics is Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has sparred with Fauci over various COVID-19 issues. Paul has said that the released emails vindicate the accusations he has directed toward Fauci, asserting that they prove that Fauci has lied repeatedly under oath. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) has backed Paul, calling for a “credible investigation” and tweeting that “Fauci has some questions to answer.”

Below are some of the most important and revealing emails unveiled following the FOIA request, which illustrate what Dr. Fauci was doing behind the scenes at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci Admits Masks are Unnecessary

On February 5, 2020, Fauci said that masks are only necessary for infected individuals to limit their spread of the virus. He emphasized that standard surgical masks are ineffective since the virus is “small enough to pass through the material.”

Fauci Warned About Possible Wuhan Lab Leak

On February 21, Weill Cornell Medical College associate professor Michael Jabobs warned Fauci that there was a possibility that the virus was released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Fauci forwarded the message to a colleague, asking her to handle it.

Fauci Dismisses Surgical Masks and Says Vaccine is Nowhere Near

On March 1, Fauci suggested that N95 masks may be useful, adding that a vaccine would not be ready for over 18 months.

Fauci Asserts He Was Not Censored by Trump

The following day, Fauci dismissed media speculation that the Trump administration was censoring him. Fauci added that he is “free to speak out,” which raises the question why much of the information contained in his emails was kept from the public for over a year.

Fauci and Zuckerberg Collaborate on Facebook Coronavirus Response

On March 15, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reached out to Fauci about coordinating on Facebook’s Coronavirus Hub. Interestingly, the redacted section features a (b)(4) exemption, which refers to “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person [that is] privileged or confidential.” American Commitment President Phil Kerpen pointed out that this redaction may be related to Facebook’s efforts to censor COVID-19 posts that it deems inaccurate.

Two days later, Fauci expressed excitement about Zuckerberg’s pitch, particularly the redacted portion mentioned above.

Fauci Coordinates Documentary About Himself with Film Producers

The same day, Fauci discussed the production of a film on his life, with the proposed message of “men serving men.” The mid-March context is notable as that’s when virtually the entire country shut down overnight, all while Fauci was coordinating a documentary celebrating himself.

Fauci Dismisses Potential COVID Treatments

On March 18, a Detroit-based dermatologist contacted Fauci about the potential of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine to treat severe coronavirus cases. Fauci appeared to dismiss the treatment options, saying only “thank you for your note.”

Fauci Backtracks, Pushes for Universal Masking

On March 30, Fauci was contacted by a former colleague concerned about aerosol transmission of SARS-Cov-2. After repudiating the efficacy of masks for months, Fauci reversed course and advocated for “universal wearing of masks.”

Daszak Thanks Fauci for Discrediting Lab Leak Theory

On April 18, EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak thanked Fauci for shutting down lab leak theories and asserting that COVID-19 had a natural origin.

Between 2014 and 2019, Daszak’s organization funneled $3.4 million in funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study bat coronaviruses. This relationship has warranted attention in recent weeks, with the email showing Daszak’s desire for the lab leak hypothesis to be discredited. Again, the origins of the virus are still uncertain, but it’s clear that Daszak was deeply invested in the accepted explanation of a natural emergence, which was defended vociferously by Fauci.

Skeptics of this conclusion, such as Sen. Tom Cotton, were smeared as conspiracy theorists by media elites, who have since been forced to temper their attacks to save face. Throughout the pandemic, we have been commanded to “Trust the Experts” and “Listen to the Science!” Any skepticism or criticism has been treated as conspiratorial and even treasonous. The revelation of Fauci’s emails shows that our anointed experts may not be trustworthy—and should also be paying closer attention to the science.