The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has shifted its stance, now supporting the theory that COVID-19 most likely originated from a laboratory leak in China. This “low confidence” assessment aligns the CIA with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Energy, both of which also favor the lab leak theory.
The reassessment occurred shortly after John Ratcliffe was appointed as the new CIA director. Despite lacking substantial new evidence, this position contrasts with four other agencies and the National Intelligence Council, which continue to support the zoonotic theory, suggesting the virus mutated naturally from bats to humans, possibly via an intermediary species.
Former CIA Director William Burns had advocated for the agency to take a definitive position instead of remaining neutral. The origins of COVID-19 remain a contentious issue with significant geopolitical implications, and China continues to deny the lab leak theory.
