Statements from U.S. intelligence agencies or government reports

Under Director Ratcliffe, CIA Now Favors Lab Leak Theory for COVID-19 Origins

Jan 25, 2025, 06:45 PM

January 25, 2025 - The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has released a new assessment favoring the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. Under newly appointed Director John Ratcliffe, the agency has shifted its position, with analysts now favoring the lab leak theory over natural origins, but with "low confidence." The assessment, which began under the Biden administration, was declassified and released by Ratcliffe. Officials have stated that there is no new intelligence behind the CIA's shift; rather, the reassessment is based on the same evidence as before. They also emphasized that the agency is not bending its views to align with the new director. The CIA aims to "get off the sidelines" in the debate over COVID-19's origins, according to the New York Times. The assessment highlights the ongoing challenges in determining the source of the pandemic, especially given the lack of cooperation from the Chinese government in investigations. The CIA's new position aligns with other U.S. intelligence agencies that have previously suggested a lab leak as a possible origin of the pandemic.