The National Security Council received a warning about the Wuhan Institute of Virology two years before the deadly coronavirus pandemic, according to an email obtained by U.S. Right to Know.
Concerns about China’s first maximum security lab and bat coronaviruses had reached the highest levels of the U.S. national security apparatus by December 2017 — two years before COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan.
Two State Department cables described a shortage of safety training at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the danger posed by novel coronaviruses in 2018.
The cables outlined details about the shortage of adequately trained staff, Wuhan Institute of Virology senior scientist Zhengli Shi’s rejected request to study coronaviruses at the highest biocontainment level, and the discovery of novel SARS-like bat coronaviruses that bind to human receptors.
The cables generated a public outcry after the Washington Post reported them in April 2020.
They also generated quiet astonishment within the State Department, according to emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The emails also show the apparent indignation of the official who authored the cables.
According to that official, whose name is redacted, the information had been communicated to the “NSC.”
“Too bad I couldn’t get anyone to listen even with front channel cables and letters from the Ambassador to the NSC,” the official wrote.
“NSC” refers to the White House’s National Security Council.
Former Ambassador to China Terry Branstad sent a letter about the matter to Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert in December 2017, a former administration official confirmed.
U.S. Right to Know has not obtained the letter from Branstad to Bossert.
By April 2018, Bossert had been ousted by the newly appointed National Security Advisor John Bolton.
By May 2018, Bolton dissolved the Global Health Security and Biodefense unit and consolidated some of its members into a team with a broader mandate, according to press reports. The move was part of a NSC shakeup that involved more isolated decision making, fewer interagency meetings, and less regular order, according to critics.
Bossert and Bolton did not respond to requests for comment.
“I actually forgot about these cables my team and I did in Beijing back in 2018 until very recently and just tracked down a copy,” the State Department official wrote. “Too bad no one paid attention to the point we were trying to make with these cables! The world would be a different place if we had.”
“Geez, I shall call you Cassandra from now on,” another email reads, a reference to the Greek myth about unheeded prophesies.
“The prescience in that cable is amazing/scary,” a third email states.
U.S. Right to Know obtained the documents reported in this article through Freedom of Information Act litigation against the State Department. All of the documents obtained in the course of our investigation into the origins of Covid-19 can be reviewed here.
Article cross-posted from U.S. Right to Know.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
They’re still trying to blame it on China – which is complicit as it obviously worked with parts of our COVID to plan and push the COVID scamdemic and the VACCINE which is the most important component. COVID was cooked up by the US Military/Intel to push the population control vaccine. They used China as their guinea pig lab. They lied to Trump about EVERYTHING or deliberate hid things from him.