The CIA has made a surprising shift in its stance on Covid-19’s origins. After years of uncertainty, the agency now leans toward the idea that the virus may have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. This new analysis, initiated under the Biden administration, marks a significant change in the ongoing debate.

For a long time, the intelligence community couldn’t pin down whether Covid emerged naturally from a wet market or accidentally escaped from a research facility. But recent findings have tipped the scales toward the lab theory. While the natural origin idea isn’t entirely ruled out, analysts say the evidence now points more strongly to a lab leak.

The CIA’s new director, John Ratcliffe, has been a vocal supporter of this hypothesis. He’s pushed the agency to take a more active role in the discussion, urging them to step “off the sidelines.” Ratcliffe believes understanding the virus’s origin is crucial for U.S.-China relations and global health security.

While some officials argue that the debate doesn’t change much—China’s failure to regulate markets or labs remains a problem—others see it as a critical question. Either way, the CIA’s updated assessment has reignited conversations about accountability and transparency.

This shift comes after Ratcliffe publicly stated his belief that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is the most likely source of the virus. With the CIA now officially favoring the lab leak theory, the story of Covid’s origin continues to unfold.