Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday released hundreds of pages of previously undisclosed communications and internal documents that reveal Dr. Anthony Fauci steered the intelligence community away from investigating United States-funded coronavirus research in China that may have caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The document release came late Thursday evening, on Gabbard’s last day as the director of national intelligence.In a video statement accompanying the release, Gabbard accused Fauci of using his relationships within the intelligence community to shield himself from scrutiny over U.S. funding of coronavirus research and to influence government assessments of the pandemic’s origins.
“The COVID pandemic caused tremendous hardship and pain for millions of our fellow Americans and countless people around the world,” Gabbard said. “Now, after years of lies and censorship and cover-ups, the American people deserve transparency, truth, and accountability.”Fauci, the multi-decade head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had been an adviser to intelligence agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency on various biomedical research areas, including bioweapons. FIVE YEARS AGO: FAUCI DISMISSED LAB LEAK THEORY EVEN AS ADVISORS PRIVATELY DOUBTEDGabbard alleged that Fauci used his position at NIAID and on the White House Coronavirus Task Force to steer intelligence agencies away from examining gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. Gain-of-function research is the genetic manipulation of viruses or other pathogens to make them either more infectious or more dangerous to humans. At the time, there was a federal moratorium on such research because of its potential to go wrong and cause a public health emergency.Gabbard said that Fauci used his relationship as an advisor to the intelligence community to “shield him from scrutiny,” and push intelligence agencies toward a natural-origin explanation for COVID-19.According to Gabbard, emails included in the release show intelligence officials frequently incorporated Fauci’s recommendations into their analyses and relied on experts he endorsed while discounting dissenting views.“Senior analysts praised Dr. Fauci, not as a policy maker, but as what they called an unbiased guide to the real coronavirus experts, while deliberately ignoring experts who might dissent from Fauci’s narratives,” she said.The information released by Gabbard adds to the evidence published by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on June 11, which indicates that Fauci had been an adviser to the intelligence community on SARS genetic manipulation and bioweapons for more than two decades prior to the advent of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic.The information released by Gabbard also lends evidence to Paul’s accusations that Fauci selected experts for the intelligence community who were biased towards the natural origin theory of the virus instead of the lab leak hypothesis. Gabbard also accused Fauci of providing false testimony to Congress about his relationship to the intelligence community during a 2024 appearance before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.During his testimony, Fauci was repeatedly asked whether he had spoken to the FBI, CIA, or other intelligence agencies concerning viral research. He consistently replied, “not to my knowledge about COVID,” which is contrary to the evidence released by both Gabbard and Paul.“He blatantly lied to Congress under oath during his 2024 testimony,” Gabbard said, arguing that the newly released correspondence contradicts Fauci’s claim that he had not communicated with intelligence agencies regarding COVID-19.The intelligence chief further said whistleblowers told her office that analysts who supported the lab-leak theory or challenged prevailing assessments faced retaliation, professional setbacks, or intimidation.“The message was clear: go along or be punished,” Gabbard said.She argued the documents reveal broader efforts by senior intelligence officials to suppress dissenting views and discourage whistleblowers from coming forward.Gabbard concluded by accusing Fauci and other officials of manipulating intelligence and concealing information from both policymakers and the public.“The tactics that were used to hide the truth are straight from the deep state playbook,” she said.The release comes amid a leadership shake-up at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a close ally of President Donald Trump, is expected to take over as acting director of national intelligence on Friday despite concerns from some lawmakers and intelligence officials that he lacks relevant experience and was chosen on the basis of his willingness to investigate Trump’s political adversaries.BYRON YORK: TRUMP BUILDS THE WALLPulte arrived at ODNI headquarters on Thursday and requested a list of all employees as he evaluates potential staffing changes, according to CNN, which cited two sources familiar with the matter. Those sources said Pulte is considering significant workforce reductions that could affect hundreds of employees.Earlier this week, Trump upended Senate Republicans’ efforts to quickly confirm the permanent DNI pick, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, calling off the confirmation hearing on Truth Social.
