Bill Maher has renewed his criticism of former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, questioning his past statements about the origins of COVID-19 and the handling of the pandemic.

During a recent episode of HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher accused Fauci of making what he described as “actual lies” about the origins of the virus, pointing specifically to the long-running debate over whether COVID-19 emerged through natural transmission from animals or may have been connected to a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

Maher argued that the origins of the virus remain one of the most important unresolved questions surrounding the pandemic. He referenced Fauci’s earlier public statements supporting the possibility of a natural spillover from animals and questioned whether officials had been sufficiently open about other theories.

The comedian also addressed Fauci’s recent appearance before a Senate committee, where lawmakers questioned him about his role in the federal response to COVID-19 and research funding connected to laboratories in China. Fauci has strongly denied that U.S.-funded research led to the virus escaping from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Maher said the debate over so-called gain-of-function research should be approached as a legitimate scientific and policy discussion. He argued that questions about whether scientists should modify viruses to better understand them deserve open examination, particularly because of concerns about the potential risks involved.

The origins of COVID-19 remain the subject of intense debate. While some researchers and intelligence agencies have considered the possibility of a laboratory-related incident, other scientific assessments have continued to favor a natural animal-to-human transmission. A 2025 World Health Organization report said the available evidence pointed more strongly toward zoonotic spillover, while acknowledging that important information remains unavailable.

Maher also criticized what he described as the political and social polarization surrounding the lab-leak debate, arguing that discussions about the possibility were sometimes dismissed before they could be fully examined.

His comments come as Fauci continues to face scrutiny over his handling of the pandemic, including decisions involving public health policies, research funding and communications with other scientists and government officials.

The debate over COVID-19’s origins remains unresolved, with researchers and officials continuing to examine available evidence while disagreements persist over how the pandemic began and how much information was known during its earliest stages.