Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman says evidence suggests coronavirus was not man-made or released from lab

The Pentagon’s top uniformed official on Tuesday maintained that available evidence indicates the virus that has caused a global pandemic was natural and not man-made or released purposely from a Chinese lab.

“The weight of evidence — nothing’s conclusive — the weight of evidence is that it was natural and not man-made,” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army Gen. Mark MilleyMark MilleyOvernight Defense: Top general tells Howard cadets they will make military 'truly inclusive of all' | Pentagon tracking Chinese rocket tumbling to Earth | Poll finds two-thirds support for Afghanistan withdrawal Milley to Howard graduates: Your generation will make military 'truly inclusive of all' Overnight Defense: Top general drops objection to major change in prosecuting military sexual assault | Supreme Court declines to take up case from former West Point cadet | Pentagon says 'small' attacks not affecting Afghanistan withdrawal MORE said of the coronavirus.

“The second issue is, was it accidentally released, did it release naturally into the environment or was it intentional? We don’t have conclusive evidence in any of that, but the weight of evidence is that it was probably not intentional,” he told reporters at the Pentagon.

Milley added that “various agencies, both civilian and U.S. government, are looking at” the issue of where the virus originated.

The Trump administration this month stepped up efforts to blame China for the pandemic, with top officials including President TrumpDonald TrumpCaitlyn Jenner on Hannity touts Trump: 'He was a disruptor' Ivanka Trump doubles down on vaccine push with post celebrating second shot Conservative Club for Growth PAC comes out against Stefanik to replace Cheney MORE and Secretary of State Mike PompeoMike PompeoPompeo on CIA recruitment: We can't risk national security to appease 'liberal, woke agenda' DNC gathers opposition research on over 20 potential GOP presidential candidates Dozens of scientists call for deeper investigation into origins of COVID-19, including the lab theory MORE pushing the unverified theory that the virus was created by Chinese researchers or accidentally released by a lab in Wuhan, China, where it was being studied.

Trump, who has come under consistent scrutiny for his own slow response to the virus domestically, has repeatedly accused China of covering up the outbreak and claimed there is significant evidence that the virus emanated from a Wuhan lab — though has not actually provided any evidence.

But Milley since last month has maintained that while the U.S. intelligence community was taking "a hard look" at the theory, it's inconclusive, and “the weight of evidence seems to indicate natural [origin].”

And Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care: Biden backs COVID-19 vaccine patent waivers | Moderna reports positive early results for booster shots against COVID-19 variants | Federal judge vacates CDC's eviction moratorium Biden backs COVID-19 vaccine patent waivers Fauci: COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver should not be 'off the table' MORE, the nation's top infectious disease expert and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, has dismissed theories the virus was man-made or released accidentally from a Chinese lab. He said available research indicated the virus evolved naturally.

Milley on Tuesday did push for the Chinese government to “open up and allow inspectors and investigators” to go into Wuhan “so that the world can know the actual original source of this [virus] so that we can apply the lessons learned and prevent outbreaks in the future.”