CIA officer James Erdman III made his first public appearance as a whistleblower, revealing allegations about CIA scientific analysts and COVID-19 origins. He testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, drawing on his authority from leading investigations into the pandemic’s origins.

During the hearing, Erdman described how individuals within the intelligence system allegedly concealed information related to COVID-19 and gain-of-function research. He also noted that following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government restructured roles and responsibilities concerning public health and biodefense.

According to media reports from Fox News and other outlets covering the May 13, 2026 hearing, Erdman—a 20-year CIA veteran detailed to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence—alleged that senior intelligence officials downplayed the laboratory-leak hypothesis and engaged in efforts to withhold documents. Senator Rand Paul indicated that Erdman would testify about what he characterized as a deep state network attempting to obscure the truth about how the virus originated.

Erdman also alleged that the CIA engaged in surveillance targeting both whistleblowers and even ordinary American citizens. He contended that this corruption persists, actively obstructing efforts to conduct thorough investigations into these matters.

PHOTO CREDIT: Illustration of a SARS-CoV-2 virion By Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM – This message is number 23312 in the Public Health Image Library (PHIL) of the CDC., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86444014