Dr. Robert Redfield, the former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has made shocking claims about the origins of COVID-19. In an interview with author and podcaster Dana Parish, Redfield said he believes the virus was intentionally created as part of a biodefense program.
He suggested the virus was not naturally occurring, as some scientists have argued, but was instead engineered in a laboratory. While much of the blame has been directed at China for its handling of the pandemic, Redfield pointed to the United States, stating that it played a “substantial role” in funding the research that may have led to the virus’s creation.
What Exactly Did Redfield Say?
Redfield, who served under former President Donald Trump, said China’s fault lies not in creating the virus but in failing to warn the world about it quickly. Once the virus began spreading, Chinese authorities should have alerted health organizations like the CDC, he said.
But the former CDC chief also turned the spotlight on the U.S., claiming that agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the State Department’s USAID, and even the Department of Defense helped fund this risky research.
One name Redfield mentioned was Dr. Ralph Baric, a renowned coronavirus expert at the University of North Carolina. Redfield suggested that Baric played a key role in this research and may have even helped create the original version of the virus. However, he admitted he had no hard evidence to back up this claim, calling it a “real possibility.”
A New Twist in the Lab Leak Theory
Redfield has long supported the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in Wuhan, China, rather than from animals in a food market. This theory, once dismissed by many, has gained traction in recent years.
Now, he’s suggesting the virus’s origins might be traced back even further—to a U.S. lab. According to Redfield, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where Dr. Baric conducts his research, could be the true starting point of the virus.
Why Haven’t We Heard This Before?
Redfield claims the debate over COVID’s origins has been deliberately suppressed. He also criticized the World Health Organization (WHO) for failing to hold China accountable for its role in the pandemic.
This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about U.S. funding of virus research. The National Institutes of Health previously acknowledged funding “gain-of-function” research—experiments designed to make viruses more dangerous—in Wuhan labs.
What’s Next?
Redfield’s explosive comments come as scientists and governments continue to debate how COVID-19 started. While some still believe the virus naturally jumped from animals to humans, others are now reconsidering the possibility of lab involvement.
If true, Redfield’s claims could have massive implications—not just for understanding how the pandemic began but also for how we prevent future global health crises. For now, the full truth remains elusive, but Redfield’s words have added a dramatic new layer to an already complex mystery.
Could Chapel Hill, not Wuhan, be where it all began?
