The short answer is: the Fauci/COVID claim is still contested, and Gabbard’s release does not by itself prove the case. The current public record shows Gabbard and ODNI accusing Fauci of influencing intelligence assessments and funding risky Wuhan research, but independent reporting still says those claims are unverified and Fauci has denied wrongdoing.jpost+2
There are two separate questions here: whether COVID likely began from a lab accident, and whether Fauci covered up what he knew. The lab-leak theory remains politically and scientifically disputed, but a recent scientific survey still found experts leaning toward a natural origin rather than lab release. At the same time, U.S. government messaging under Gabbard in 2026 has pushed the lab-leak interpretation much harder.dni+2
The Hawaii “cult” allegation is not new and usually refers to her family’s long association with the Science of Identity Foundation, a fringe religious group founded by Chris Butler in Hawaii. Critics on the left have used that association for years, while supporters call those attacks religiously bigoted or politically motivated. So the charge is real as a matter of reported controversy, but it is also part of a long-running partisan fight rather than a fresh revelation.trtworld+3
The left is not uniformly “sympathetic” to anti-Gabbard claims so much as broadly critical of her record on foreign policy, social issues, and her rightward drift over time. That means some criticism of Gabbard comes from substantive disagreement, while some of the harsher language about her faith ties has clearly been framed as guilt-by-association. In other words, both things can be true: some criticism is fair political critique, and some is opportunistic or overstated.theguardian+4
If you want a careful judgment, the strongest conclusion is that Gabbard’s claims about Fauci are plausible as allegations but not yet settled fact, while the “cult” charge against Gabbard is a real, documented controversy that is often deployed in a partisan way. The most accurate position is to treat both narratives skeptically and separate evidence from political branding.timesnownews+4
Would you like a cleaner fact-check table with “what is established,” “what is alleged,” and “what remains unproven”?