Tulsi Gabbard declassifies documents on Anthony Fauci’s role in investigation into origins of COVID-19

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard used one of her final official acts before leaving office to declassify and release documents detailing the involvement of Dr. Anthony Fauci in internal discussions within the U.S. intelligence community regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reports by Fox News, the materials, released Thursday night, include emails and communications that were already partially known, but also some elements that had not been publicly reported. According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the documents aim to shed light on how Fauci may have influenced intelligence assessments regarding the possible origin of the virus in a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

Internal exchanges reveal a debate over Fauci’s role

Among the declassified materials are exchanges in which intelligence officials evaluated whether to include Fauci as an external reviewer for the study on the origins of COVID-19. According to Fox, some warned that his participation could create the perception of a conflict of interest.

In another email, there is a discussion about whether to follow Anthony Fauci’s recommendations regarding experts to interview for the study on the origins of COVID-19. “For those who don’t know me, I’m the [REDACTED] and, as such, leading the [intelligence community’s] 90-day POTUS COVID origin study,” wrote an official in an email. “Per below, Dr Fauci recommended that the IC reach out to the below individuals who were coauthors of the attached paper as part of the study.”

Another intelligence official raised doubts in an internal analysis about whether it was appropriate for the intelligence community to follow the recommendations of Fauci, whom some consider a “policymaker.”

However, one intelligence officer argued that, in this specific case, Fauci should not be viewed as a policymaker, but rather as an expert in the field with deep knowledge of historical and current coronavirus research. “In this particular case, given Dr Fauci’s background we absolutely would like to follow-up on his outreach suggestions,” they wrote.

The documents detail Fauci’s role in intelligence assessments

Gabbard has presented these documents as a window into how the intelligence community incorporated information provided by Fauci and other officials during the investigation into the origins of the pandemic.

In an ODNI statement accompanying the declassification, it states that "Fauci worked with politicized career leadership in the Intelligence Community (IC) to suppress the truth about his actions, the virus’ lab-leak origins, and his role in directing U.S. funding for this dangerous research that caused immeasurable harm and countless lost lives."

The documents, according to the agency, reportedly reveal "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."