Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray went on the air and declared that the COVID-19 virus may have leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

In a Fox News interview reported on 28 March (local time), he said, "The FBI has assessed that the origin of the pandemic is most likely an incident that took place in the Wuhan laboratory."

"This is talking about the possibility that (the virus) leaked from a lab controlled by the Chinese government," he said, adding, "It seems to me that the Chinese government is in a hurry to disrupt and disrupt what we and our partners are trying to do here."

"FBI experts are concerned about the dangers of biological threats, including new viruses like COVID-19, and that they may be in the wrong hands, such as evil people, adversaries, terrorists, and criminals," Wray added.

Director Lei's public comments come amid recent media reports that have resurfaced the hypothesis that COVID-19 originated in the Wuhan lab.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Jan. 26 that the U.S. Department of Energy has shifted to support the Chinese origin theory based on new intelligence reports that the coronavirus may have leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan.

However, while the FBI has moderate confidence in the lab leak theory, the Department of Energy is reportedly less confident, according to the WSJ.

But the National Intelligence Council (NIC) and intelligence agencies are weighing in on the theory of spontaneous generation of the virus.

The White House also maintained a cautious stance on 27 March, saying, "There is still no consensus within the government."

Earlier, China strongly opposed the reconnaissance balloon incident, saying that the United States was spreading falsehoods when the COVID-19 lab leak theory was raised again.

In response to Director Lei's claims, the Chinese government reiterated its position that the issue of determining the origin of COVID-19 should not be politicized.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing on Jan. 1 that "the intelligence sector's handling of scientific issues is itself politicizing the issue of origin, and we urge the United States to respect science and facts and stop politicizing the issue of COVID-19 origin."