Tulsi Gabbard releases documents accusing Anthony Fauci of funding Wuhan lab and lying to Congress

On 19 June 2026, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned and, on her final day in office, declassified a trove of internal emails, intelligence briefings and whistle‑blower testimonies. The materials allege that former NIAID head Dr Anthony Fauci directed millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to gain‑of‑function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and that he worked with politicised elements of the U.S. intelligence community to suppress the lab‑leak hypothesis.

The documents claim Fauci misled Congress under oath in 2024 by denying any contact with intelligence officials about the Wuhan work, contradicting newly released communications that show he discussed the research with intelligence analysts. Gabbard’s statement said the pandemic caused “tremendous hardship” and that the public deserves “transparency, truth, and accountability.”

Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Darrell Issa and Sen. Rand Paul, called for investigations and possible perjury charges. After Gabbard’s departure, President Donald Trump appointed real‑estate executive Bill Pulte as acting DNI, prompting bipartisan criticism over his lack of intelligence experience.

U.S. officials have not independently verified the claims, and the documents have not been peer‑reviewed. The allegations reignite debate over the origins of COVID‑19 and could spur congressional and legal scrutiny of Fauci’s actions.