US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has made a startling claim about the spread of Covid-1 by claiming that dangerous research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology was funded by the US with the approval of US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci. Some experts now consider the Wuhan laboratory as the possible source of the virus.
Friday was the last day of Tulsi Gabbard’s term as intelligence chief. Tulsi Gabbard made such an explosive claim on that last day. These documents, he claims, have never been made public before. Millions of dollars have reportedly been allocated for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
In a video posted on X, Gabbard claimed that Dr. Fauci and some influential figures in the intelligence community tried to cover up the true source of the virus.
In his words, “US taxpayer money was used for dangerous gain-of-function research at a laboratory in Wuhan. I have released documents related to this.”
Gabbard also claimed that many intelligence analysts who raised questions about the origin of the virus faced pressure, fear of retaliation and the loss of their careers.
Gain-of-function research involves altering the genetic characteristics of microorganisms or viruses to create new capabilities. It has uses in medical or agricultural research, but critics say such experiments could make the virus more contagious or dangerous.
President Donald Trump’s administration suspended government-funded gain-of-function studies last year because of the controversy.
The virus has killed more than 7.1 million people worldwide. However, the exact source of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not been determined.
But multiple assessments by U.S. intelligence agencies say the virus is more likely to have spread accidentally from a Wuhan laboratory than by animal transmission.
Documents released by Gabbard’s office also claim that the virus was inadvertently spread from a laboratory in Wuhan.
Fauci has not responded to Gabbard’s recent allegations. However, he had earlier dismissed allegations of hiding the source of the virus. During a 2024 hearing, he called such allegations “totally absurd”.
Today, on my last day as Director of National Intelligence, I am releasing never-before-seen communications and documents detailing how Dr. Fauci provided millions of US taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab, worked with political elements… pic.twitter.com/ZMdliW4zyS
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGAbbard) June 19, 2026
The origins of Covid-19 have long been debated internationally. That debate is likely to intensify again after the release of new documents. But no one knows the veracity of the claims made in the published documents. As a result no one knows what the real truth is yet.