White House spokeswoman defends Trump's claim coronavirus could have come from Wuhan lab

4 years ago
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Kayleigh McEnany, in her new role as White House Press Secretary, said Friday that President Donald Trump's comments that the coronavirus could have come from a laboratory in Wuhan, China was consistent with intelligence reports he had received.
"I would note that intelligent sources you're referring to really made two points: one that this virus originated in China and that it began through contact with infected animals or was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan. So I consider that consistent with what the president said," McEnany said.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a rare statement Thursday that the virus is "not man-made or genetically modified," but announced its intel agencies are investigating whether the outbreak could be "the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan." 
The president said Thursday he has seen evidence that the Wuhan Institute is responsible for the outbreak, but did not elaborate.
Asked if he had seen anything that gave him a "high degree of confidence" the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the president said: "Yes I have. Yes I have."
Asked what that evidence was, he said: "I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed to tell you that."
McEnany took over the key White House spokeswoman job last month.
 

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