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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has said that her team is actively working to uncover the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the US government has issued mixed assessments regarding the origin of COVID-19. Initially, multiple intelligence agencies, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), stated that the virus was likely not developed as a biological weapon and most likely originated from natural exposure to an infected animal. However, in a notable shift, the CIA and the Department of Energy later suggested—with “low to moderate confidence”—that a laboratory leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology could have been the source. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) previously accused China of delaying access for international investigators. It took over a year after the outbreak for them to gain access to China, which significantly hindered the global effort to determine the pandemic’s true origin.

What’s going on now: During an interview with podcast host Megyn Kelly, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard addressed the ongoing investigation into the pandemic, saying, “The reason why this is so important is not just what has happened in the past, it’s because this gain-of-function is happening in biolabs around the world.” She noted that her team is actively working with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and HHS Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to uncover direct links between U.S. funding and research conducted in Wuhan, China.

Gabbard added, “We have to end this gain-of-function research and provide the evidence that shows exactly why and how it’s in our best interests—the American people’s best interest—to bring an end to it.” She expressed concern that much of the gain-of-function work funded by U.S. dollars remains dangerously unregulated, and warned that “in many examples [it] has resulted in either a pandemic or some other major health crisis.”

When asked by Kelly about her political future, Gabbard did not rule out a presidential run in 2028. “I will never rule out any opportunity to serve my country. If we had talked a year ago, the thought would not have crossed my mind that I would be here and that we would be having this conversation.”