Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. health official, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, refusing to answer questions about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move escalated tensions between Fauci and Republican lawmakers who have accused him of misleading the public about the virus's emergence. Testifying under oath before a Senate panel, Fauci declined to respond to questions regarding his handling of the pandemic and allegations that he lied about its origins. The hearing, which was highly anticipated, focused on Fauci's role as a key adviser to former President Donald Trump and his management of the U.S. response to the outbreak. Republican senators have long pressed for answers on whether Fauci withheld information or misrepresented data related to the virus's origins, including the possibility of a lab leak. By invoking the Fifth Amendment, Fauci avoided direct questioning on these matters, citing his right to remain silent. The move was seen as a dramatic development in the ongoing political battle over accountability for the pandemic's impact. Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades, has faced intense scrutiny from conservatives who argue he downplayed the threat of COVID-19 and obstructed investigations into its origin. The hearing did not produce new testimony on the pandemic's origins, but it underscored the deep partisan divisions over the government's response to the health crisis.