The former US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard has accused former top health official Dr. Anthony Fauci of manipulating intelligence assessments on the origins of COVID-19, influencing government investigations and misleading Congress under oath about his involvement in discussions with intelligence agencies.
Gabbard said newly released documents and communications allegedly reveal how Fauci worked with senior intelligence officials to shape assessments surrounding the pandemic and the theory that the virus originated from a laboratory leak in China.
“These documents expose Fauci’s direct role in influencing and manipulating IC assessments on COVID-19 and how Fauci lied to Congress in 2024 when under oath he denied knowledge of or participation in discussions with intelligence officials about viral research.”
According to the statement, Fauci, while serving as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, approved US government funding for coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, work that the former intelligence chief described as “dangerous gain-of-function research.”
“Before the COVID pandemic, Dr. Fauci as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases provided millions in US taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
The former official further alleged that Fauci used his relationships within the intelligence community to influence assessments supporting a natural origin theory for the virus while sidelining alternative views.
“Dr. Fauci was the behind-the-scenes advisor who, alongside his hand-picked so-called experts, pushed the intelligence community to endorse a natural animal origin to hide his dangerous gain-of-function research that he funded using taxpayer dollars.”
The statement also claimed that intelligence analysts who questioned official conclusions about the virus’s origins faced retaliation and professional consequences.
“The message was clear, go along or be punished.”
According to Gabbard, multiple whistleblowers reported being intimidated, marginalised or denied career opportunities after expressing support for the lab-leak hypothesis or challenging prevailing intelligence assessments.
He also alleged that Fauci’s recommendations were routinely incorporated into intelligence community reviews and that dissenting scientific opinions were largely ignored during the assessment process.
“According to hundreds of reviewed emails which are included in this release, the intelligence community almost always incorporated Fauci’s recommendations.”
She argued that the newly released materials contradict Fauci’s previous testimony before Congress, where he denied discussing COVID-19 matters with intelligence agencies.
“Now, the correspondence I’m releasing today directly contradicts his sworn testimony.”
He said the documents were being released in the interest of transparency and accountability, insisting that the public deserved answers about decisions made during the pandemic.
“After years of lies and censorship and cover-ups, the American people deserve transparency, truth, and accountability.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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