Professor Jeffrey Sachs: COVID-19 Likely Originated in a U.S. Lab, Not China

by Chris Montanelli

In a recent discussion with Judge Andrew Napolitano on Judging Freedom, economist and global policy expert Professor Jeffrey Sachs suggested that COVID-19 was likely engineered in a U.S. laboratory before possibly being tested in China. Sachs, who chaired a global commission investigating the origins of the pandemic, claimed that from the outset, the virus exhibited telltale signs of laboratory manipulation.

According to Sachs, the CIA recently acknowledged that COVID-19 likely originated from a lab but conveniently pointed fingers at China. However, Sachs asserts that the true origin may lie within the United States—specifically at the University of North Carolina (UNC), where researchers were conducting gain-of-function experiments on coronaviruses. He theorizes that U.S. scientists may have sent the virus to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for testing on bat populations native to China.

Sachs further alleges that the Biden administration and U.S. intelligence agencies have actively suppressed critical information regarding COVID-19’s origins. He points to ongoing lawsuits against UNC, particularly efforts to access emails from 2019 that could shed light on pre-pandemic research activities. Despite public interest, Sachs claims UNC has been withholding key documents and fighting to keep them secret. He finds it “unbelievable” that a public university would resist transparency on an issue of such global significance, arguing that the emails could provide crucial insight into whether U.S. scientists played a role in developing the virus.

The discussion also touched on the role of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who Sachs believes may have funded risky virology research that ultimately “went awry.” He argues that gain-of-function experiments—intended to enhance viruses for study—posed significant risks and may have unintentionally led to the pandemic. Sachs called for a thorough investigation into U.S. involvement, suggesting that while the CIA is unlikely to reveal the full truth, the FBI should take up the case and investigate whether COVID-19’s origins were tied to U.S. bio-research programs.

Sachs concluded that the true origins of COVID-19 need to be uncovered through complete transparency and full disclosure of scientific records. He urged institutions like UNC to release all relevant data, stressing that if the virus was indeed engineered in a U.S. laboratory, the world has a right to know.

This perspective challenges the mainstream narrative that places sole responsibility on China and raises broader concerns about U.S. scientific institutions, government secrecy, and the ethical risks of high-stakes biological research. If Sachs’ claims hold merit, they could prompt a major reassessment of pandemic accountability and global biosecurity measures.