On her final day as US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard released what she called previously undisclosed documents on the origins of COVID-19, reviving debate over whether crucial information about the pandemic was concealed. In a video statement, she accused Anthony Fauci of supporting research linked to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and influencing narratives surrounding the virus's origin.
Gabbard alleged that US-funded gain-of-function research involving bat coronaviruses may have contributed to circumstances leading to the pandemic. She further claimed that Fauci and certain experts promoted the natural-origin theory while sidelining alternative explanations, including the lab-leak hypothesis.
The former intelligence chief also cited whistleblower accounts alleging pressure within US intelligence agencies against analysts who questioned official assessments. While the released documents reportedly contain internal communications, critics note that significant portions remain redacted and do not conclusively prove either a cover-up or a direct link between the research and the outbreak.
The origins of COVID-19 remain disputed, with scientists and government agencies divided between natural transmission and an accidental laboratory leak as possible explanations. Gabbard's disclosures are expected to fuel renewed political and scientific scrutiny of the pandemic's beginnings.
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