Key Points
- The Trump administration has replaced the official Covid-19 information portal with a site promoting the lab leak theory as the “true origin” of Covid-19.
- The new website directly blames China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology for the pandemic and accuses the Biden administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the WHO of suppressing the lab leak theory.
- The site outlines five main arguments supporting the lab leak claim, citing alleged biosafety lapses and early illnesses among Wuhan lab staff.
- Public health measures like mask mandates and lockdowns are also criticized on the site.
- The move comes after the CIA and other agencies updated their assessments, but scientific consensus still finds the natural origin theory more plausible.
New Delhi: In a dramatic policy shift, President Donald Trump’s White House has relaunched the official Covid-19 website, making the controversial Wuhan lab leak theory the centerpiece of its narrative on the origins of the pandemic. The revamped site, which previously provided public health resources, now features President Trump’s image and a prominent banner: “Lab Leak: The True Origins of Covid-19”.
Five Key Claims on the New Website
The new portal lays out five main arguments to support the lab leak theory:
- Unique Biological Feature: The virus is said to possess a characteristic “not found in nature.”
- Single Source Spread: All Covid-19 cases reportedly stem from a single introduction into humans, unlike previous pandemics with multiple spillover events.
- Wuhan’s Research History: Wuhan is home to China’s foremost SARS research lab, which has conducted controversial “gain-of-function” research with alleged biosafety lapses.
- Early Illness Among Researchers: Some Wuhan Institute of Virology researchers reportedly fell ill with Covid-like symptoms in the fall of 2019, before the virus was detected at the wet market.
- Lack of Natural Origin Evidence: The site claims that, by now, clear scientific evidence for a natural origin should have emerged if it existed.
Political and Scientific Criticism
The website goes beyond blaming China, sharply criticizing former President Joe Biden, ex-White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the World Health Organization (WHO). It alleges they suppressed debate about the origins of Covid-19, discredited alternative treatments, and promoted the natural origin theory for political reasons.
The site also attacks public health measures such as mask mandates, social distancing, and lockdowns, labeling them ineffective and damaging to public trust and the economy.
Intelligence Community and Scientific Consensus
The overhaul follows a recent CIA update, which now considers a lab leak “more likely” but with “low confidence,” citing biosafety concerns at Wuhan labs. However, the majority of scientists and several investigative reports still find the natural spillover from animals at a wildlife market in Wuhan to be the more plausible explanation, pointing to substantial genetic and epidemiological evidence.
China’s Response
China has strongly denied the lab leak allegations, accusing the US of politicizing the pandemic’s origins and emphasizing its participation in international investigations. Chinese officials maintain there is no credible proof linking the virus to a laboratory accident.
Major Policy and Messaging Shift
The relaunch of the Covid-19 website marks a significant change in US government messaging. Resources for testing, vaccines, and treatment have been removed, and the site now serves as a platform for the Trump administration’s stance on the pandemic’s origins and criticism of previous health policies.
As the debate over Covid-19’s origins reignites at the highest levels of US government, the world watches for the response from China and the scientific community, even as consensus remains elusive and the pandemic’s true beginnings are still under investigation.
