The CIA has released a new evaluation on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, suggesting that the virus is “more likely” to have leaked from a Chinese laboratory than to have been transmitted from animals.
The agency clarified, however, that this conclusion is held with “low confidence,” as reported by the BBC. A spokesperson stated that the theory of a “research-related origin” is considered more plausible than a natural one, based on the available evidence.
This latest assessment marks one of the first major moves by the CIA’s new director, John Ratcliffe, who assumed office on Thursday. Ratcliffe, appointed by former President Donald Trump, has long been a proponent of the lab leak theory, arguing that the virus likely originated from a breach at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The institute, located roughly 40 minutes from the Huanan wet market where the first cases were reported, has been at the center of debates over the virus’s origins.
In a Friday interview with Breitbart News, Ratcliffe criticized the CIA’s previous neutrality on the issue, urging the agency to take a firmer stance. “One of the things I’ve consistently emphasized is the need to address the threat posed by China on various fronts,” he said. “This includes understanding why a million Americans died and why the CIA has remained on the sidelines for five years without making a definitive assessment about the origins of Covid-19.”
Officials disclosed to US media that the updated evaluation is not based on any new intelligence but instead stems from a review commissioned during the final weeks of the Biden administration. The analysis was completed before Ratcliffe took over his role earlier in the week.
Despite the public release, the assessment carries a “low confidence” classification, indicating that the intelligence supporting it remains limited, inconclusive, or inconsistent.
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