Why Trump’s new COVID website claims a lab leak Is ‘true origin’

The Trump administration has overhauled the U.S. government’s main COVID-19 websites, turning them into platforms for promoting the theory that the coronavirus leaked from a Chinese lab. The redesigned Covid.gov and Covidtests.gov now present the lab leak explanation as the “true origin” of the pandemic and criticize former President Joe Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the World Health Organization.

Trump revamps COVID sites, promotes lab leak

The new website no longer provides information on vaccines, testing sites, or long COVID. It instead opens with a bold image of Donald Trump standing in front of the words “Lab Leak” and accuses Biden’s administration of spreading false narratives about the virus's origins. Visitors are greeted with claims that the Wuhan Institute of Virology mishandled dangerous virus research and allowed COVID-19 to escape.

The site reads, “By nearly all measures of science, if there was evidence of a natural origin it would have already surfaced. But it hasn’t.”

It also attacks a key scientific study, The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2, which concluded that the virus likely wasn’t engineered in a lab. The site claims Fauci influenced that study to promote a natural origin theory. “The Proximal Origin…was prompted by Dr. Fauci to push the preferred narrative that COVID-19 originated naturally,” it states.

According to the report of ABC, the Trump administration also criticizes early pandemic policies like lockdowns, mask mandates, and social distancing. The website blames them for harming Americans while offering little benefit, presenting those decisions as politically motivated rather than based on science.

China has dismissed the lab leak theory. A spokesperson from Beijing said there’s “no credibility” to the claim that the virus escaped from a lab. Chinese officials argue that Washington has politicized the pandemic and accuse the U.S. of using its intelligence agencies to push the lab theory without direct evidence.

Still, the Trump administration insists the lab theory is now settled. The website calls it a “confirmable truth.” It cites a January report from the CIA, which assessed that the virus was “more likely” to have emerged from a lab — but with “low confidence.” The CIA also said both lab and natural origins remain plausible.

White House targets Fauci, Cuomo

Despite that uncertainty, the White House has repurposed a public health website into a political tool. It targets Dr. Fauci, who led the U.S. pandemic response under Biden, and accuses him of manipulating scientific discourse. It also revisits past controversies involving former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, criticizing his handling of nursing home deaths.

Dr. Fauci and the Biden administration have not responded publicly. The WHO, also targeted by the site, declined to comment. In past statements, the WHO said “all hypotheses remain open” regarding COVID-19’s origin.

The Trump administration has also removed other government health websites in recent months. One of them contained data on HIV rates among transgender individuals. Critics say these moves erase vital public information and replace it with partisan content.

After returning to office, Trump also began the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO, the agency’s largest financial backer. The administration claims the organization mishandled the early response to COVID-19 and sided too closely with China.

The redesigned websites mark a shift from public service to political messaging. The focus has moved from protecting public health to reshaping the pandemic’s story. The question now is whether Americans will trust a government site that no longer prioritizes facts or resources—but declarations.

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