Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, revealed on Thursday that she had declassified a significant amount of material regarding the alleged cover-up about the coronavirus possibly leaking from a U.S.-funded laboratory in Wuhan, China. She also highlighted the role of Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top public health official, in this situation.
Gabbard remarked that Fauci and others in the scientific and intelligence sectors seemed to be following a strategy that resembled those of “deep state” operatives.
This sentiment was echoed by the Daily Caller News Foundation, which initially reported on Fauci’s considerable sway over intelligence agencies last year.
On her last day in office, Gabbard made it clear via a statement that she was sharing documents and communications that had never been accessible to the public. She indicated that Fauci facilitated millions of dollars in taxpayer funding towards risky research at the Wuhan lab, collaborating with politically motivated elements.
Members of Gabbard’s task force investigated documents and testimonies from whistleblowers, who indicated they faced backlash for questioning Fauci’s accepted narrative.
In her statement, Gabbard expressed the profound suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting millions domestically and globally. She stated that after so much misinformation, censorship, and concealing of the facts, Americans deserved clarity, honesty, and accountability.
Fauci did not reply to requests seeking his comments on these claims.
Among the most surprising discoveries included:
Influence Over Intelligence Community
Gabbard claimed that Fauci had personal stakes in research institutions in Wuhan and other locations promoting the development of a universal vaccine for the coronavirus, which raised concerns about conflicts of interest. Nevertheless, this did not deter U.S. intelligence agencies from trying to uncover the origins of the pandemic.
One intelligence source noted eagerness to act on Fauci’s proposed outreach, although they acknowledged he wasn’t a policymaker in this regard but rather a politician. They suggested that genuine experts on the coronavirus would likely provide better insights.
Documents revealed that Fauci had previously played a role in promoting scientific literature that dismissed the likelihood of lab origins for the virus. Behind the scenes, he appeared to have shaped the understanding of national intelligence regarding these matters.
In June 2021, Fauci recommended consulting a Scripps Research Institute virologist, while a National Security Council briefing in May reported on the ongoing dilemma about the origins of COVID-19.
Assessment by Department Z
In May 2020, the Z Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory concluded that the Wuhan lab had all the necessary components for a potential lab accident, utilizing both scientific studies and intelligence gathered from CIA analysis. Many virologists had previously dismissed the lab theory as conspiracy, which seems to be challenged by this assessment.
They posited that all conditions were present for an accidental release of a modified coronavirus at the Wuhan Institute of Virology during late 2019, although some intelligence members disagreed with this evaluation.
Consultation with Virologist Ralph Barrick
Documents revealed that virologist Ralph Barrick had four consultations with the intelligence community in the first two years of the pandemic. He was involved in grant proposals related to creating coronaviruses mirroring characteristics found in the virus genome.
Internal correspondence indicated that Barrick’s advice was sought regarding whether the virus had been manipulated, even after his potential conflicts of interest were noted.
Illness of Wuhan Researcher
Declassified information referred to a Wuhan-based researcher who fell ill in the fall of 2019, suggesting that these events were somewhat corroborated by news reports about a virologist who contracted a respiratory virus during that time.
Whistleblower Allegations Against Fauci
A whistleblower called for an internal investigation after accusing Fauci of misleading Congress in discussions regarding connections between his agency and the Wuhan lab’s research activities related to gain-of-function research.
Fauci’s denials about funding such research raised questions, and documents revealed that he appeared to influence key biodefense officials. Whether any action was taken following those findings remains unclear.
