DeKalb GA News

James O’Keefe has confronted James Welch, a genetic counselor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), after Welch was caught on hidden camera by an undercover journalist. The footage reportedly shows Welch advising researchers to change “race” to “ancestry” in clinical trials in order to evade DOGE regulations and secure funding.

During the recorded conversation, Welch explained, “I had to go look at, like, what was leaked as far as the banned words, that DOGE is just like, control F searching for so I was trying to help [NIH investigator] suggest wording. I had suggested, like, ‘a history of ancestry’ instead of ‘race,’” as he talked to the undercover reporter.

The recording also captured Welch admitting to feelings of hostility towards people at the NIH. “My mom told me today not to shoot anybody because I’ve been buying guns but they won’t let me close enough to these f*cking people,” Welch said. He added, “Well, why not be prepared? I don’t want to go down like a bitch.”

In response to the video, NIH issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to maintaining high standards in research funding. “NIH is taking action to terminate research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities. We remain dedicated to restoring our agency to its tradition of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based science. As we begin to Make America Healthy Again, it’s important to prioritize research that directly affects the health of Americans. We will leave no stone unturned in identifying the root causes of the chronic disease epidemic as part of our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”

Following the release of the video, O’Keefe pursued Welch as he left in a Tesla. In the interaction, Welch defended himself, stating, “I’m the expert, not you!” He also insisted, "I care about people. You don’t care about people or their health."

The situation has raised serious concerns about how NIH grants are managed and compliance with DOGE standards.