In a startling development, the FBI has recovered phones used by former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a significant step in an ongoing investigation into his role in the U.S. response.

This breakthrough, announced by FBI Director Kash Patel on Friday, centers on the discovery of devices from the first Trump administration as part of a probe into allegations of misconduct by Fauci during the global health crisis, as The Hill reports.

The investigation into Fauci has been fueled by longstanding accusations from President Donald Trump and his allies, who claim Fauci misled the government about the handling of the pandemic and obscured information regarding the virus's origins.

Devices recovered

Patel revealed the breakthrough during an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which aired on Friday.

He explained that the FBI had been searching for these devices for an extended period, only locating them two days before the podcast was released.

"We just had a great breakthrough this week on Fauci," Patel said during the interview, highlighting the significance of the find.

Tempering expectations

Patel also noted the challenges ahead, stating, "They had always been looking for phones and devices he used while he was back in Trump one during COVID, and nobody had found it until two days ago."

He tempered expectations about the contents of the devices, saying, "Everybody listening to us shouldn’t jump to the conclusion everything’s in there."

Continuing his point, Patel added, "Maybe it’s deleted, maybe it’s not, but at least we found it, and at least now we can tell people that we have been looking because it is of public importance."

Political backdrop of Fauci probe

The investigation comes against a backdrop of intense political scrutiny, with Trump and his supporters accusing Fauci of contributing to mismanagement during the pandemic.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has been particularly vocal, calling for Fauci’s imprisonment a year ago over claims of involvement in the virus's origins through lab research in China.

Paul and others have further alleged that Fauci’s actions may have contributed to millions of deaths, estimating a toll between 10 million and 20 million lives lost to the pandemic.

Pardon shapes ongoing narrative

Amid these accusations, former President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Fauci before Trump assumed office in January 2025, aiming to shield him from potential prosecution.

The pardon encompasses any offenses from January 1, 2014, through the end of Biden’s term related to Fauci’s roles as NIAID director, a member of the White House COVID-19 task force, and chief medical adviser to the president, a decision Trump publicly criticized.

Fauci, for his part, defended his actions last year before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, asserting he relied on the best available science and did not suppress evidence of a possible lab leak, while acknowledging debate over the length of government interventions with the remark, "How long you kept them going is debatable."