Fox Business Network anchor Maria Bartiromo was once again just asking questions when she wondered aloud Monday whether the Chinese government intentionally released COVID-19 to get Donald Trump out of the White House.
Bartiromo’s outlandish theory, which suggests China unleashed a deadly coronavirus within its own borders in an effort to install Joe Biden as U.S. president, was somewhat endorsed by the GOP lawmaker who heads the House investigation into the origins of the virus.
While interviewing Rep. Brad Weinstrup (R-OH) on Monday’s broadcast of Mornings with Maria, the conspiracy-peddling Fox star first thanked the Ohio congressman for his “incredible service to our country” before jumping headlong into the Wuhan lab leak theory, which has gained traction in the scientific and intelligence communities.
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Questioning why there was “no discussion with Joe Biden and President Xi” on the origins of COVID-19 during the recent U.S.-China summit, Weinstrup then groused that Democrats have shown “no interest” in investigating the possibility the virus was engineered in a Wuhan lab and escaped.
Bartiromo, meanwhile, took the opportunity to suggest the worldwide pandemic was all part of a devious plot to destroy Trump’s presidency.
“So, what do you think here happened?” Bartiromo exclaimed. “It was engineered, came out of the Wuhan lab, and then China tried to cover it up? That doesn’t tell me anything about whether or not it was intentional. I mean, is there a chance that China released this virus on America intentionally? Disrupt the country, get Donald Trump out, get your man in there, Joe Biden, and then cover it up?!”
Saying China “certainly didn’t try to protect America,” Weinstrup added that “whether it was intentional or accidental, they seemed to be aware of it.” He then went on to suggest that Xi deliberately misled Trump on the dangers of the virus.
“And I could be wrong on this: President XI was telling Donald Trump everything is okay,” he continued. “And Donald Trump was repeating what President XI said. Now Democrats call President Trump a liar, but it seems President Trump was just repeating what President XI said. Obviously, it was more dangerous.”
The congressman and Fox host then implied that Democrats, the Biden administration, and former White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci were covering up evidence of a lab leak because China was paying them.
“Just more evidence this administration and the Democrat Party are putting America in danger. Add that to the long list, including the wide-open border,” Bartiromo concluded the segment.
This isn’t the first time that Bartiromo, whose on-air embrace of Trump’s 2020 election lies eventually cost Fox $787.5 million, has peddled wild conspiracies about COVID-19.
Ahead of last year’s midterm elections, she repeatedly warned that the White House and Democrats could introduce a “midterm variant” of the virus to change balloting rules that would put Republicans at a disadvantage.
“If this doesn't work for them, there's always the midterms variant,” she said after the Supreme Court’s Roe draft leaked, adding: “Maybe that keeps us all home from voting and forcing us to do mail-in.”
