“NIH Director Bhattacharya Sparks Walkout with Candid COVID Origins Remark”
National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya hosted his first all-staff town hall on Monday at the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, where his remarks on the possible origins of COVID-19 prompted a walkout by dozens of agency employees.
The event, held before nearly 500 in-person attendees and hundreds more watching online, marked a significant moment for Bhattacharya, a prominent epidemiologist and critic of pandemic-era lockdowns, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the NIH earlier this year. The session included responses to several of the more than 1,200 questions submitted by staff ahead of the town hall, according to a report by Science.
The most contentious moment came when Bhattacharya addressed a submitted question about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Before answering, he acknowledged the controversial nature of the topic.
“It’s possible that the pandemic was caused by research conducted by human beings. And it’s also possible that the NIH partly sponsored that research,” he said.
The statement appeared to trigger a walkout, as numerous NIH staffers stood up and left the auditorium. In response, Bhattacharya paused and then added, “It’s nice to have free speech. You’re welcome, you guys,” drawing applause from some of those who remained in the room.
Bhattacharya continued, citing public opinion and existing scientific evidence that suggests growing concern over gain-of-function research—a form of biomedical experimentation that alters pathogens to study their potential impact on humans.
“If it’s true that we sponsored research that caused the pandemic, and if you look at polls of the American people, that’s what most people believe. And I’ve looked at the scientific evidence I believe in,” he said.
He concluded the segment by emphasizing the need for greater caution in research oversight: “What we have to do is make sure that we do not engage in research that’s posing any risk to any human populations.”
Context: Ongoing Debate on Research Oversight
The remarks come amid intensifying national debate over gain-of-function research and the role of federal agencies in funding high-risk scientific studies. Some experts and lawmakers have pushed for increased transparency after revelations that the NIH, through intermediaries, had funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology prior to the pandemic.
While the origins of COVID-19 remain under investigation, both natural spillover and lab-related scenarios are considered plausible by various U.S. intelligence agencies. The U.S. Senate has also held multiple hearings examining research practices and biosafety protocols across federal institutions.
Political Tensions Over NIH Funding
In a separate but related development, a minority staff report from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee—led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)—accused the Trump administration of cutting $2.7 billion from NIH’s budget in the early months of 2025.
“Trump’s war on science is an attack against anyone who has ever loved someone with cancer,” Sanders said in a public statement.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), however, disputed the claim, calling the report “unequivocally false” and politically motivated.
“The report released by his office today is a politically motivated distortion that undermines the thousands of dedicated public health professionals across HHS,” the agency stated, reaffirming its support for continued investment in scientific research and public health infrastructure.
Looking Ahead
Bhattacharya’s tenure at the NIH is expected to remain high-profile, particularly as debates continue over public health transparency, scientific integrity, and the balance between innovation and safety in biomedical research.
DailyClout will continue to follow developments surrounding NIH leadership, research funding, and COVID-19 investigations.
Source article posted here: https://www.theblaze.com/news/nih-staffers-storm-out-as-bhattacharya-delivers-reality-bombshell-about-covid-origin