CIA now says COVID-19 'more likely' leaked from Chinese lab
What's the story
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has changed its position on the origins of COVID-19, saying it is "more likely" the virus leaked from a Chinese lab than was transmitted by animals. The change in position comes after John Ratcliffe's confirmation as CIA director under President Donald Trump's second administration. Speaking to Breitbart, Ratcliffe said he believes the virus originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and stressed that finding COVID-19's origins is a priority for him.
Analysis impact
New analysis prompts CIA's shift on COVID-19 origins
The CIA's new stance stems from a new analysis of existing intelligence, ordered by former director William Burns and completed before Ratcliffe assumed office. A CIA spokesperson said, "CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting." However, they said both scenarios remain plausible.
Agency views
US agencies support lab-leak theory, intelligence community divided
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Energy are among some US agencies that back the lab-leak theory, albeit with varying levels of confidence. However, most elements within the intelligence community still lean toward natural origins. Advocates for the lab-leak hypothesis highlight that early COVID-19 cases appeared in Wuhan, China—a major coronavirus research hub situated about 1,609km from bat populations carrying similar SARS-like viruses.
Ongoing investigation
CIA committed to examining new credible intelligence
Despite the change in stance, the CIA still views both research-related and natural-origin scenarios as plausible. "CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible," the spokesperson noted. This change in perspective is not based on newly acquired intelligence but comes from an analysis of operational conditions within Wuhan's high-security laboratories in the pre-pandemic period.