In the wake of Dr. Anthony Fauci pleading the Fifth Amendment 111 times, former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard pointed to her earlier release of what she described as previously undisclosed communications and documents that she says detail Dr. Anthony Fauci’s involvement in intelligence assessments related to COVID-19, the virus’s origins, and U.S.-funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Gabbard made the announcement on what she described as her final day serving as Director of National Intelligence, saying the document release was consistent with President Donald Trump’s transparency initiative.
“Before the COVID pandemic, Dr. Fauci, as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, provided millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, work which is now widely viewed as the source of the unintentional lab leak that sparked the pandemic,” Gabbard said.
She said the newly released materials were intended to reveal what she described as Fauci’s role in shaping intelligence assessments and public understanding of the pandemic.
“Now, in support of President Trump’s maximum transparency mandate, today on my final day as Director of National Intelligence, I’m releasing never-before-seen communications and documents that expose exactly how Fauci worked with politicized career leadership in the intelligence community to suppress the truth about his actions, the virus’s lab leak origins, and his role in directing U.S. funding for this dangerous research that caused immeasurable harm and countless lost lives.”
According to Gabbard, the documents show that Fauci influenced intelligence community conclusions while later denying those interactions before Congress.
“Now, 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.”
Gabbard also said her office received testimony from multiple whistleblowers within the intelligence community.
“We also received testimony from multiple intelligence community whistleblowers who reported retaliation for challenging the intelligence community’s manipulation of intelligence on the virus’s origins, once again revealing a clear pattern of suppressing dissent, silencing critics, and burying the truth.”
She argued that Fauci’s relationships within the intelligence community enabled him to play multiple roles throughout the pandemic.
“Dr. Fauci’s close relationships with the intelligence community enabled him to assume three key roles that shield him from scrutiny.”
Gabbard alleged that Fauci funded gain-of-function research tied to pharmaceutical interests while simultaneously influencing intelligence assessments about the virus’s origin.
“First, Dr. Fauci funded dangerous gain-of-function coronavirus research linked to big pharma and their pursuit of universal vaccines worth trillions of dollars.”
She continued, “Second, 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. All of this in a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth and shift the blame and attention away from Fauci’s own actions.”
Gabbard further alleged that Fauci influenced both intelligence officials and public messaging during the pandemic.
“Third, Dr. Fauci became the nation’s pandemic pundit, and he publicly pushed lies, disinformation, and censorship using every platform available.”
She said emails included in the release showed intelligence officials regularly relied on Fauci’s recommendations.
“Now, according to hundreds of reviewed emails, which are included in this release, the intelligence community almost always incorporated Fauci’s recommendations.”
Gabbard also claimed Fauci promoted research that intelligence officials later treated as authoritative.
“He promoted a fraudulent paper, whose publication he helped prompt, as legitimate information for intelligence community consideration.”
She added that, according to the documents, “Senior analysts praised Dr. Fauci not as a policymaker, but as what they called an unbiased guide to the real coronavirus experts, while deliberately ignoring experts who might dissent from Fauci’s narratives.”
Gabbard again accused Fauci of providing false testimony before Congress.
“Now Fauci didn’t stop there; he blatantly lied to Congress under oath during his 2024 testimony to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, denying that he ever spoke to any intelligence agency about COVID.”
She said the newly released correspondence contradicts that testimony.
“Now, the correspondence I’m releasing today directly contradicts his sworn testimony.”
Gabbard also described allegations made by intelligence community whistleblowers concerning retaliation against analysts who questioned prevailing conclusions.
“Now, we received statements from multiple whistleblowers revealing that the intelligence analysts who dared to challenge Dr. Fauci’s COVID origin conclusions faced threats of retaliation, marginalization, and many suffered career setbacks.”
She cited examples that included a contractor who “was terminated just days after coming forward to ODNI as a whistleblower” and said analysts supporting the lab leak hypothesis “were reminded by their managers that leadership would determine which analysts would be promoted and which would not.”
“The message was clear: go along, or be punished,” Gabbard said.
She also alleged that senior officials compromised whistleblower protections by removing anonymity and requiring managers or attorneys to attend meetings with whistleblowers, creating what she described as “an atmosphere of intimidation.”
Concluding her remarks, Gabbard said the pandemic’s impact warrants full public disclosure and accountability.
“The COVID pandemic caused tremendous hardship and pain for millions of our fellow Americans and countless people around the world.”
She added, “Now, after years of lies and censorship and cover-ups, the American people deserve transparency, truth, and accountability.”
Gabbard argued that “The tactics that were used to hide the truth are straight from the deep state playbook,” and accused “Politicized self-serving leaders like Dr. Fauci” of covering up wrongdoing, manipulating intelligence, lying to Congress, and undermining President Trump.
“It’s time you know the truth,” Gabbard said.
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