According to the newspaper, the change in position is based on a reassessment of previously obtained evidence
The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) of the United States has changed its assessment of the origin of Covid-19 and now considers “most likely” that the pandemic emerged from a laboratory leak rather than naturally, a spokesperson said on Saturday (Jan. 25, 2025). The information is from
According to the newspaper The New York Timesthe change in positioning was not caused by new information and is based on previously obtained evidence.
John Ratcliffe, who took over as director of the CIA on January 23, 2025 and has always supported the leak theory, told the website that investigating the origins of the pandemic is a priority. “Our intelligence, science and common sense really indicate that the origin of Covid was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he stated.
Agency officials guarantee, however, that the change was not influenced by the arrival of the new director. The reassessment began in the final weeks of the Biden administration, when Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, requested a new analysis.
DIVERGENCES ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF COVID
Currently, in addition to the CIA, the FBI and the Department of Energy also consider the leak hypothesis to be more likely, but with different theories. The FBI points to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, while the Department of Energy points to the city’s Center for Disease Control.
Another 5 agencies, including the National Intelligence Council, still assess that natural exposure is more likely. All assessments are considered “low confidence”.
To confirm any of the hypotheses, researchers are still looking for conclusive evidence. To prove its natural origin, it would be necessary to identify the animal that transmitted the virus. In the case of the leak, they would need proof that the laboratories were working with a precursor virus to Covid-19.
