Navarro Claims Fauci Created COVID-19, Demands Accountability

Former White House trade advisor Peter Navarro stated on Fox Business that Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), created the coronavirus through funded gain-of-function research. Navarro made the assertions during an appearance on "Mornings With Maria" on Fox Business.

Navarro specifically targeted Fauci's role in providing taxpayer funds for gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China prior to the pandemic. A recent press release from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) indicated that this overseas research effort is widely considered the source of an unintentional lab leak that may have sparked the pandemic.

"I'm surprised people aren't suing Fauci civilly for all the damages they did to their families, and killing people and things like that," Navarro said, suggesting that a presidential pardon would not prevent civil actions against Fauci. "He needs to be held accountable."

Navarro described Fauci as the "Dr Frankenstein of the modern era," claiming the former NIAID director "created that virus using gain of function research." He posited that the research was intended to develop vaccines for future threats. Navarro also alleged that Fauci conducted a "misinformation campaign" to promote the zoonotic theory of the virus's origin, which he called the "biggest lie of omission" given his alleged funding of the research. "One million Americans died, millions worldwide! He needs to be held accountable," Navarro stated.

Gain-of-function research involves scientists manipulating viruses to increase their transmissibility or virulence. Fauci, who stepped down from his government positions on December 31, 2022, defended the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) allocation of funds in May 2021. He testified before a Congressional budget committee that studying such viruses, including those in China, was necessary to understand potential animal-to-human transmission risks.

Navarro also implicated the Chinese Communist Party, stating, "The Chinese did it too." He accused the party of threatening to retaliate if the origin of the virus was attributed to the Wuhan lab. Maria Bartiromo, the show's host, agreed with Navarro's points.

Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard previously released documents in June that she claimed showed Fauci's involvement with intelligence community leadership to suppress information about the virus's lab origins and his role in funding the research.

Dr. Fauci has not been convicted of any crimes. The origins of COVID-19 remain a subject of investigation, with two primary theories: a laboratory incident or natural zoonotic transmission.