“I heard you had a really bad day. You’re about to have a worse day,” James O’Keefe stated, addressing James Welch, a National Institutes of Health official recently caught on hidden camera revealing he counsels researchers to alter language in clinical trial protocols, specifically replacing the term “race” with “ancestry,” to evade DOGE oversight. “This is you on camera,” revealed O’Keefe.
O’Keefe pressed Welch about his role in modifying terminology, asking if it was deceitful to replace “race” with “ancestry.” Welch denied the claim, repeatedly saying, “I didn’t lie,” affirming that he suggested altering the language “for scientific accuracy.”
As the encounter continued, Welch attempted to flee in his Tesla. Despite appearing eager to disengage, Welch rolled down his window and continued the discussion. “I believe in good science. I believe in protecting the people,” Welch stated. O’Keefe challenged this reasoning, questioning how the alteration could be scientifically accurate. Welch fired back, “I’m an expert. You’re not.”
O’Keefe referenced a text message reportedly sent by Welch to an undercover journalist, in which he described the situation at work as “a bloodbath” with people losing their jobs. Despite the tension, Welch continued to assert that his actions were justified. Welch replied, “I care about people,” adding, “You don’t care about people or their health.”
O’Keefe rebutted, stating, “Of course, we care deeply about people. We want people to know what’s going on in their government.” He concluded by pointing out the common reactions he encounters during such investigations: “They always either run away, assault me, call the police, or say nothing. That was like everything but calling the police right there and assaulting.”
