A Daily Caller investigation found that senior U.S. intelligence officials withheld classified evidence suggesting COVID-19 originated in a lab from both President Trump and the public, elevating Anthony Fauci’s inner circle while sidelining independent spy scientists. Intelligence collected from CCP leaders in 2019 indicated a major incident in Wuhan, but the information was kept from Trump during the pandemic’s early months.
Spy scientists across multiple agencies decoded signs of engineering in the virus genome pointing to Wuhan and University of North Carolina coronavirus research. Their analyses were repeatedly blocked or dismissed, while Fauci-associated advisors promoted the narrative that the virus arose naturally. Former CDC Director Robert Redfield said Fauci “had to know” the most likely source was the Wuhan lab, but the information was suppressed.
Conflicts of interest were widespread. Ralph Baric, who co-authored coronavirus engineering proposals in the DEFUSE program, advised the intelligence community in January 2020. Other virologists, including Peter Daszak, James Le Duc, and Kristian Andersen, had ties to Wuhan or Fauci’s circle and briefed agencies that the virus was unlikely lab-derived, even while private communications indicated they considered a lab origin “very likely.”
Efforts within the National Security Council and DIA to highlight lab-origin evidence were quashed. Analysts at the National Center for Medical Intelligence compiled what one official called a “smoking gun,” but senior officials labeled it a “scholarly product” and blocked dissemination. DOE and other labs also identified genetic signatures suggesting engineering but were rebuffed when attempting to update State Department investigators.
During Biden’s 2021 90-day intelligence review, ODNI restricted dissemination of lab-origin evidence and filtered findings through central offices, preventing interagency sharing and leaving FBI interviews inaccessible. CIA Director John Ratcliffe later confirmed that the preponderance of intelligence indicated a lab leak and pledged to hold officials accountable for politicizing assessments.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also said she intends to hold the community accountable by reviewing classified material, supporting whistleblowers, and investigating the use of taxpayer funds related to COVID research.
