In new interview, Fauci blasts theory that China engineered COVID-19 as a bioweapon

“I think it’s a bit far out,” Fauci said.

By

Joseph Guzman | June 4, 2021

Story at a glance

• During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” Thursday, Anthony Fauci was asked about several of his newly released emails, including a redacted exchange between he and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins.
• “I don’t remember what’s in that redacted, but the idea I think is quite far fetched that the Chinese deliberately engineered something so that they could kill themselves as well as other people,” Fauci said.
• Thousands of Fauci’s emails were released this week to The Washington Post and BuzzFeed under the Freedom of Information Act.

The nation’s top infectious diseases expert is dismissing the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus was deliberately introduced into the world by China. 

During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” Thursday, Anthony Fauci was asked about several of his newly released emails, including an exchange between he and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins. 

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As the messages were redacted, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was asked if he remembered what was discussed. 

“They only took about 10,000 emails from me, of course I remember. I remember all 10,000 of them. Give me a break,” Fauci joked before trying to recall the conversation with the subject “conspiracy theory gains momentum.” 

“I don’t remember what’s in that redacted, but the idea I think is quite far fetched that the Chinese deliberately engineered something so that they could kill themselves as well as other people,” Fauci said. 

“I think that’s a bit far out, John,” Fauci told CNN’s John Berman. 

Thousands of Fauci’s emails were released this week to The Washington Post and BuzzFeed under the Freedom of Information Act. 

Fauci has maintained that the coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal to humans, but said he keeps an open mind about other potential origins, including the theory the virus may have accidentally leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 

The exact source of the virus has yet to be determined.

getty: Anthony Fauci