The ex-CNN editor also recently admitted he was wrong about Biden's mental decline, and said he should have pushed harder
CIA joins FBI, Energy Dept in backing Wuhan lab leak theory
Fox News' Alexandria Hoff provides details on CIE Director John Ratcliffe's move to declassify findings from an analysis on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Outnumbered' panelists weigh in.
Ex-CNN pundit Chris Cilizza took to social media on Monday to concede that President Donald Trump was likely right about the COVID-19 lab leak theory, after the CIA announced it was changing its assessment of the origins of COVID-19.
"I screwed up," Cillizza, who served as CNN's editor at large prior to his exit in 2022, began in a thread posted to X.
The CIA changed its assessment on the origins of COVID-19 on Saturday, and said that they believe "with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting."
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— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) January 28, 2025
1/ I screwed up.
Back in May 2020, I wrote how Anthony Fauci had "crushed" Donald Trump's lab-leak theory for how Covid-19 originated
The CIA said over the weekend that they now believed the virus leaked from a lab.
So....a few thoughts: pic.twitter.com/2erhpTzquv
"If you’re keeping track, is what Donald Trump and lots of prominent conservatives — most notably Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton — have been saying for a very long time now. And, candidly, they have taken a lot of s--- for it. Including from me," he added.
Chris Cillizza speaks onstage during CNN Experience on March 5, 2020, in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for WarnerMedia))
WHO RENEWS CALLS FOR CHINA TO SHARE DATA ON COVID ORIGINS 5 YEARS LATER
Cilizza said he was inclined to believe and agree with Dr. Anthony Fauci at the time, who had dismissed the theory early on during the pandemic, rather than Trump.
"Except, it now appears that the reality TV-star-turned-president was right. And Anthony Fauci was wrong," Cilizza said.
The CIA has maintained for years it did not have enough intelligence to conclude whether COVID originated in a lab or a wet market in Wuhan, China. Despite the new assessment favoring a lab leak, there was no indication of new evidence.
The former CNN editor also conceded that he thought Trump was making it up at the time because he "wanted to blame China" for COVID-19.
US President Donald Trump speaks during the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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"Just because Trump talks out of his a-- a fair amount doesn’t mean everything he says is him talking out of his a--. Don’t disqualify the possibility of Trump telling the truth solely because he is a decidedly inconsistent messenger when it comes to truth," Cilizza added.
Cilizza also offered a mea culpa for shrugging off concerns about former President Biden's mental decline in late December.
"As a reporter, I have a confession to make," Cillizza began his "apology" on his YouTube channel Thursday. "I should have pushed harder earlier for more information about Joe Biden's mental and physical well-being and any signs of decline."
And not only did he admit to taking the word of the White House, he conceded he felt guilty of "age shaming" Biden.
"The White House and the people around Joe Biden were absolutely adamant that suggesting anything - asking the question about whether he was in some physical, mental or both decline, was offensive. 'How could you? It's age shaming.' And I think that impacted me at some level," Cillizza said. "Because while I did ask the question from time to time… I didn't really push on it, if I'm being honest."
Fox News' Rachel Wolf, Jennifer Griffin, and Joseph Wulfson contributed to this report.
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.
