UMVA has learned that in a stunning final move, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard dropped a bombshell, spotlighting Dr. Anthony Fauci's pivotal role in discussions about the government's COVID-19 origins review.
The explosive revelation came as Gabbard prepared to leave her position amid a contentious battle over her successor, and it appears she aimed to make questions surrounding Fauci, COVID origins, and federal support for virus research a lasting part of her legacy.
Gabbard's departure sets the stage for Bill Pulte, a construction businessman and housing official with no intelligence experience, to take the reins at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – a move that has sparked bipartisan criticism and concerns about politicization.
Pulte's tenure at the Federal Housing Finance Agency has been marred by controversy, with allegations that he used his authority to target Trump's political opponents – fueling fears that he may attempt to weaponize the intelligence community.
"We don't need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there," Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune said, echoing concerns shared by other powerful Republicans and Democrats, who worry Pulte lacks the necessary expertise and may prioritize Trump's interests over the nation's security.
Meanwhile, Jay Clayton, Trump's permanent nominee to lead ODNI, faces an uncertain future as his confirmation process is delayed due to a partisan standoff over voter identification legislation.
As the power struggle unfolds, Gabbard has released a trove of declassified documents that shed new light on Fauci's interactions with intelligence officials, including a startling revelation: Fauci was considered but ultimately rejected as an outside reviewer due to concerns about a conflict of interest.
The documents reveal that intelligence officials debated whether to take Fauci's recommendations on who to interview for their study, with one official questioning whether it was prudent to take advice from a "policymaker" like Fauci.
Fauci's influence on the intelligence community's assessment of COVID-19's origins has been a subject of controversy, with a CIA whistleblower previously claiming that Fauci exerted undue pressure – allegations that Gabbard's release now amplifies.
Gabbard's parting shot asserts that Fauci worked with politicized career leadership in the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions, the virus' lab-leak origins, and his role in directing U.S. funding for research that caused "immeasurable harm and countless lost lives."
The bombshell documents appear to confirm that Fauci played a direct role in influencing and manipulating IC assessments on COVID-19 – and that he may have even lied to Congress under oath about his involvement.
