The White House said Monday it would rely on the World Health Organization to investigate the origin of the coronavirus, arguing that an investigation led by the United States was not necessary.
“[W]e’re hopeful that WHO can move into a more transparent, independent phase two investigation,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during the daily press briefing.
It is unclear why the White House would trust the World Health Organization to conduct the investigation after Psaki criticized the first phase of the investigation in March for lacking crucial data.
The WHO stated in their March report that the lab leak origin scenario was “extremely unlikely” and said the most likely origin was the transmission of the coronavirus from bats to humans.
At the time, Psaki criticized the report for lacking crucial data.
“The report lacks crucial data, information, and access,” Psaki said in March. “It represents a partial and incomplete picture.”
When asked whether the Biden administration supported an investigation led by the United States into the origin of the virus, Psaki argued it was not necessary.
“I think you’re misunderstanding how this process actually works,” she told Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, adding that the world needed China to cooperate with the international WHO investigation.
“I have to say I think the family members of the loved ones whose lives have been lost and deserve accurate information, data, not the jumping to a conclusion without having the information necessary to conclude what the origins are,” she said.
The White House did not respond to a follow-up question from Breitbart News about supporting or opposing an investigation led by the United States into the origin of the virus.
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