The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released a collection of declassified documents alleging that former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci funded high-risk coronavirus research at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and later misled Congress about his involvement.
The documents were released on Thursday, June 18, by outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. According to the ODNI, the records are the result of a year-long declassification review conducted under President Donald Trump's transparency directive.
The ODNI alleges that millions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer funding were channelled through NIAID to support research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The agency further claims the research may have contributed to the accidental release of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The declassified files also accuse Fauci of working with senior intelligence officials to shape assessments on the origins of COVID-19 in favour of a natural origin while sidelining views supporting the laboratory leak theory.
According to the ODNI, intelligence whistleblowers reported that analysts and contractors who questioned the prevailing assessment faced retaliation. The office claims one contractor lost their position after raising concerns, while others were warned that supporting the lab-leak hypothesis could harm their careers.
The agency also alleges that intelligence leaders weakened whistleblower protections by removing anonymity safeguards and requiring managers or legal representatives to attend meetings involving complaints.
The ODNI further claims Fauci used scientists whose research received NIAID funding as independent experts in intelligence assessments, while opposing views were excluded. It says hundreds of emails reviewed during the declassification process show recommendations linked to Fauci were regularly incorporated into intelligence reports.
The documents also challenge Fauci's 2024 testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. According to the ODNI, Fauci testified that he did not discuss viral research or COVID-19 with the FBI, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency or other intelligence agencies. The office alleges the newly released records contradict that testimony.
In a statement accompanying the release, Gabbard said the American public deserves "transparency, truth, and accountability" over the government's handling of the pandemic. She accused Fauci and senior intelligence officials of concealing information, manipulating intelligence assessments and misleading Congress.
The ODNI has referred the newly released documents to the Intelligence Community's Inspector General for further review.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and Fauci has consistently denied funding gain-of-function research that caused the pandemic or misleading Congress. The scientific community also remains divided over the origins of COVID-19, with no global consensus on whether the virus emerged through a laboratory accident or natural transmission.
