'All roads lead to China'

Ratcliffe said if he was confirmed, his primary focus for the intelligence community would be on the impact of coronavirus as well as questions about its origins in Wuhan, China.



"If confirmed the intelligence community will be laser focused on getting all of the answers that we can regarding how this happened, when this happened, and.

I commit to providing with as much transparency to you as the law will allow and with due regard for sources and methods," Ratcliffe said.

Ratcliffe said that he views China as the "greatest threat actor" to the United States right now, citing China's role in the coronavirus outbreak along with cybersecurity issues. "All roads lead to China," he said.

Ratcliffe faced questions from senators in both parties about the virus' origins, which has become a politically charged issue after Trump said he had seen evidence giving him a "high degree of confidence" the virus originated in a lab.

Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, asked him if he'd seen evidence it originated in a lab.

Ratcliffe said he had not. Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, then asked Ratcliffe if he'd seen evidence the virus originated in a Wuhan market. He also said he had not.

CNN reported Monday that intelligence shared among Five Eyes nations indicates it is "highly unlikely" that the coronavirus outbreak was spread as a result of an accident in a laboratory but rather originated in a Chinese market, according to two Western officials who cited the intelligence assessment.

Ratcliffe noted Tuesday, however, that it had "been a while" since he'd received a classified coronavirus briefing as a member of the House Intelligence Committee because Congress has been out of session due to coronavirus.

King said that he raised the issue because he was concerned about "conclusion shopping" with the intelligence community.

"That's where it worries me that the President apparently has been pressing the intelligence community to find what he wants to find," King said. "The question should be, 'Where did the virus come from?' not 'Don't you think it came from a lab?' ... Because if they taint the intelligence before it gets to them, they're going to make bad decisions."

Ratcliffe responded that he shared King's sentiment generally on the politicization of intelligence.
"I can't comment on things that haven't happened yet.

I think I've been very clear, what anyone wants the intelligence to say, wont impact the intelligence from me, what I deliver," Ratcliffe said.