Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently declassified an assessment suggesting a research-related origin for the COVID-19 pandemic is more probable than a natural origin. This conclusion, reached with low confidence during the Biden administration, was released to increase transparency around the intelligence community's findings. While the CIA emphasizes that both scenarios remain plausible, this assessment gives further weight to the lab leak theory.

Senator Tom Cotton, a long-time advocate of the lab leak theory, welcomed the CIA's assessment. He commended Ratcliffe for releasing the information and reiterated his call for holding China accountable for the pandemic's global impact.

Cotton, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has consistently highlighted the proximity of the Wuhan Institute of Virology to the initial outbreak, questioning the narrative of a natural origin from the nearby market. He was among the first to raise concerns about the lab's research on bat coronaviruses.

Initially dismissed by some media outlets, the lab leak theory has gained increasing traction, with several organizations and officials now acknowledging its plausibility. The Washington Post, for instance, issued a correction to a previous article that had discounted the theory. Several journalists have also reflected on their initial skepticism.

Ratcliffe, a proponent of the lab leak theory, emphasized the importance of addressing the threat from China and the CIA's active role in this endeavor. In previous commentary, he had criticized the Biden administration for allegedly suppressing information supporting the lab leak theory. He questioned the assertion that insufficient evidence existed to reach a definitive conclusion.

Both FBI Director Christopher Wray and the Department of Energy have also expressed support for the lab leak theory, further solidifying its credibility. This evolving understanding of the pandemic's origins underscores the importance of ongoing investigation and transparency.