The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contains a provision that mandates the declassification and transparency surrounding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. This provision would require the release of intelligence related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where COVID research was conducted with funding from the Obama administration. In March of 2018, a grant proposal submitted to DARPA sought to create genetically modified bat coronaviruses with enhanced potential for human infectivity, but was ultimately rejected due to safety concerns.
The NDAA, specifically section 6803, calls for a declassification review of intelligence related to the origins of COVID-19 and efforts to cover up the pandemic’s origins by Chinese government officials. The Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is tasked with working with all 18 US spy agencies to perform this review. The Chinese government continues to deflect blame for the pandemic, instead suggesting it originated from a US military base.
The Trump administration is pushing for further investigation into the origins of COVID-19, with evidence suggesting it may have originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The ODNI, under Gabbard’s leadership, is working to investigate intelligence failures related to COVID-19 and gain-of-function research. If the NDAA is passed, Gabbard and the ODNI will conduct two separate classification reviews related to COVID-19, looking into the origins of the virus and China’s efforts to obstruct investigations.
Overall, the push for transparency and declassification regarding the origins of COVID-19 continues to be a major issue of national interest, with the hope of shedding light on the truth behind the pandemic.