The former Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, released a video on Friday in which she revealed that American taxpayers previously funded over 120 biolabs engaged in gain-of-function and other similar research in more than 30 countries worldwide. The claim that Americans were funding any gain-of-function research was previously mocked by public officials, especially those on the left.
The funding occurred prior to an executive order President Trump signed in May of last year, which officially ended all federal funding for gain-of-function research.
🚨 BREAKING: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard just DROPPED A BOMBSHELL, she's releasing evidence of US TAXPAYERS funding BIOLABS abroad — "more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries, including Ukraine"
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 12, 2026
"Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact… pic.twitter.com/sCmkG1Ew9G
"After months of searching through intelligence community holdings and files, today I'm releasing new evidence of long-standing U.S. government funding of more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries," Gabbard said. "Now, these biolabs include labs in places like Ukraine, which could be at risk of compromise due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In fact, the intelligence community had previously warned that a U.S.-funded biolab in Ukraine likely housed dangerous pathogens and remained vulnerable to long-standing threats of Russian attack, seizure, or damage."
Now, until now, evidence regarding the full existence and funding of these laboratories had been knowingly withheld from you, the American people. Many of these U.S. government-funded biolabs are currently or have previously engaged in research using hazardous and highly contagious pathogens, and in some cases included dangerous gain-of-function research with very little visibility or oversight. Now, President Trump clearly understands the serious threat dangerous gain-of-function research poses to the American people, and this is why he took decisive action over a year ago.
On May 25, 2025, he signed an executive order to end federal funding of gain-of-function research around the world. Here at ODNI, I issued new guidance to the intelligence community directing increased collection on these laboratories and facilities overseas, and we're already seeing the results of this increased collection. We're learning new details, for example, on clinical trials that are underway at these facilities and that are raising significant ethical, financial, and security concerns regarding the supposed public health initiatives and U.S. national security.
"Now, despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact that research on dangerous pathogens in biolabs can have, politicians and so-called health professionals like Dr. Fauci, as well as entities within the Biden administration's national security team, lied repeatedly to the American people about the existence of U.S.-funded and U.S.-supported biolabs," Gabbard continued. "Not only did they lie, they threatened those who attempted to expose the truth. So this release today breaks new ground, as the information surrounding the existence, history, locations, and funding of these U.S.-funded biolabs has been intentionally covered up by very powerful people who falsely claimed that these biolabs didn't exist. Now, they accuse anyone who says otherwise to be foreign assets and traitors to America."
"Now, ODNI will continue working closely with partners across the U.S. government to identify exactly where these labs are and what pathogens they contain to end dangerous gain-of-function research that threatens the health and well-being of the American people and people around the world," she added.
It remains unclear whether the United States has any role in halting gain-of-function research in those labs, or what the Trump administration’s current efforts surrounding those biolabs look like.
However, this contrasts with what was widely treated as “common knowledge” during the Biden administration, when claims about gain-of-function research or that COVID-19 may have originated from a lab in China were often met with skepticism or dismissiveness from many on the left and from public officials. Those claims have since been proven accurate.
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