US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has claimed that the United States government funded and supported more than 120 biological laboratories across over 30 countries, describing the disclosure as evidence of a long-hidden global network that is now the subject of a fresh intelligence review.
The announcement, which Gabbard described as a major revelation, follows months of examination of intelligence community records and comes amid the Trump administration’s push to end federal funding for gain-of-function research overseas.
Today, I’m releasing never before seen intelligence revealing new evidence of past US government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries, including Ukraine.
In a statement released on Friday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said newly declassified records revealed “longstanding United States government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries”. The facilities reportedly include laboratories in Ukraine, which intelligence officials said could be vulnerable due to the ongoing war with Russia.
According to the ODNI, previous intelligence assessments warned that at least one US-funded laboratory in Ukraine likely housed dangerous pathogens and faced risks of Russian attack, seizure or damage.
Gabbard alleged that information about the laboratories had been deliberately concealed from the American public.
“Until now, evidence regarding the full existence and funding of these laboratories had been knowingly withheld from the American people,” the ODNI said.
The agency further claimed that details concerning the laboratories’ existence, funding and locations had been covered up by influential figures who publicly denied such facilities existed.
Many of the laboratories, according to the ODNI, either currently conduct or previously conducted research involving hazardous and highly contagious pathogens. The statement also alleged that some facilities may have been involved in gain-of-function research, although no detailed evidence regarding specific projects was released alongside the announcement.
The disclosure comes weeks after US President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14292, aimed at ending federal funding for gain-of-function research around the world and strengthening oversight of biological research programmes.
“Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact research on dangerous pathogens in biolabs can have, politicians, so-called health professionals like Dr Fauci, and entities within the Biden administration’s national security team lied to the American people about the existence of US-funded and supported biolabs, and threatened those who attempted to expose the truth,” Gabbard said.
She added that the intelligence community would continue working with other government agencies to identify the locations of the laboratories, determine what pathogens they contain and assess the nature of the research being conducted.
As part of that effort, Gabbard has issued new guidance directing US intelligence agencies to increase information gathering on overseas biological laboratories and related facilities.
According to the ODNI, the review is already producing new information, including details about clinical trials being conducted at some of the sites. The agency said the findings have raised “significant ethical, financial and security concerns” regarding certain public health initiatives and their implications for US national security.
The claims are likely to spark renewed political debate in Washington, particularly as they revive long-running disputes over biological research, public transparency and the oversight of overseas laboratories funded by US taxpayers.
