Thread by @GPIngersoll

I was pretty skeptical of the ABC story, now even more so.

1. China didn’t identify the virus until 1st wk Dec, suspected contraction Nov. 17.

2. Abc dressed the headline to make it seem like Trump was warned in Nov, then buried that his office wasn’t briefed until January.

https://twitter.com/wjhenn/status/1248045989497311232

China should of course be treated with skepticism as well. They could have identified earlier and covered up.

There’s also the DIA thing ... would the DIA really be doing “analysis of wire and computer intercepts” (NSA) and “satellite images” (geospatial)? Maybe? Probably not?

Finally, the last quote is just too suspicious — let’s break it down:

“The timeline of the intel side of this may be further back than we are discussing.”

So, this person is not intel. This person has no comprehensive view.

BUT, can still say ...

abcnews.go.com/Politics/intel…

"But this was definitely being briefed beginning at the end of November as something the military needed to take a posture on."

Odd to not knowing the timeline for sure and then expressing with certitude the timeline.

Also, why the military? Weird statement.

Fwiw, the military doesn’t “take a posture” on anything new without the president getting a brief. Also, aside from taking protective measures, I’m not sure what the military would do, firebomb Wuhan wet markets?

Finally, a friend makes a good point to me:

Whatever “deep stater” bureaucrat leaked this — possibly bogus story — to ABC inadvertently put the onus of warning the world of China’s virus on the Pentagon and the WH.

Which is exactly what China has wanted for months.