Biden dodges reporters after question on COVID-19 origin: 'Will you hold China accountable?'

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Biden turns his back on reporters when asked about COVID origins

Reporters shout questions at President Biden as he exits the White House before boarding Marine One to spend the weekend in Delaware. 

As President Biden left the White House Friday, he approached then swiftly turned his back on reporters after one asked him to comment on COVID-19’s origins.

On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News the COVID-19 pandemic was likely caused by a lab leak in Wuhan, China, a theory that was initially dubbed as a conspiracy. This followed a similar analysis from the Department of Energy.

NTD News White House Correspondent Iris Tao shared her footage of the encounter with Biden on Twitter. In it, Biden can be seen leaving the White House and approaching the reporters waiting outside until Tao can be heard asking about COVID-19’s origin, "Will you hold China accountable?" Biden put his hands up then turned away to board the presidential helicopter, Marine One.

U.S. President Joe Biden stops to speak to reporters as he walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House February 24, 2023 in Washington, DC.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

"BREAKING: President Biden @POTUS was going to speak but turned away upon hearing my question on #Covid origin and whether he’ll hold #China accountable. @NTDNews @ChinaInFocusNTD @capitolreport," Tao tweeted.

HOUSE DEMS SIGNAL OPPOSITION TO DECLASSIFYING INFO ON COVID-19 ORIGINS

Biden may have avoided this particular request for comment, but other politicians have taken it upon themselves to get the truth out of the government with legislation.

President Biden turned away from White House reporters on his way to Marine One. (Fox News)

The Senate unanimously passed a bill to declassify all information related to the origins of COVID-19 and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The bill appears to have enough political momentum behind it to become law.  

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"It’s been three years since COVID-19 upended our lives, and we’re still asking basic questions about the origins of this virus. That’s unacceptable," Rep Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., chairman of the newly-formed House Select Committee on China told Fox News Digital.

Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., listens during a hearing of a special House committee dedicated to countering China, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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"The question of how this pandemic began is the most important question in the world, and we should not continue to waste precious time waiting for the Chinese Communist Party to suddenly cooperate with U.S. officials and open up access to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," Gallagher added. "It’s time for Congress to act and force the administration to declassify the relevant intelligence surrounding the pandemic."