(NewsNation) — The theory that COVID-19 may have originated in a Chinese laboratory was largely ignored for one reason: It was floated by then-President Donald Trump, said NewsNation’s Leland Vittert.

“It was simply because President Trump said (COVID-19) came from China,” said Vittert. “If he said it, it couldn’t possibly be true.”

The Department of Energy announced Monday it believes with “low confidence” that the virus accidentally leaked from a lab in China, agreeing with the FBI in that assessment.

Watch the full segment with Leland Vittert in the video above.