Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is probing over 120 U.S.-funded biolabs worldwide to halt risky gain-of-function research amid growing biosecurity concerns.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard confirmed an investigation into more than 120 taxpayer-funded overseas biolabs on Monday. 📰 DETAIL: In May last year, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order targeting gain-of-function research in Iran, China, and other nations. Subsequently, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has announced an investigation into U.S. taxpayer-funded biolabs in foreign countries. There are more than 120 of these biolabs in total. The investigation will reportedly identify the locations, pathogens, and research activities of these biolabs. According to ODNI officials, these biolabs exist in over 30 countries, with more than 40 of them based in Ukraine, raising concerns about the threat posed by the ongoing war with Russia. The investigation emphasizes the potential risks of gain-of-function experiments. These experiments involve genetically altering pathogens to enhance their transmissibility and other properties. The research is currently part of the Department of War’s Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, an initiative aimed at preventing future outbreaks and studying pathogens. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the catastrophic global impact research on dangerous pathogens in biolabs can have. Yet despite these obvious dangers, politicians, so-called health professionals, like Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, and entities within the Biden administration’s national security team lied to the American people about the existence of these U.S.-funded and supported biolabs and threatened those who attempted to expose the truth.” – Tulsi Gabbard 🎯 IMPACT: The review could lead to significant changes in how the U.S. funds and manages overseas biolabs, especially those handling gain-of-function research. The investigation could potentially end risky experiments that threaten U.S. biosecurity. The Biden government denied the existence of U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine in 2022, although a congressional testimony from Victoria Nuland, then-Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the Department of State, said that “Ukraine has biological research facilities which, in fact, we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of.” The review of gain-of-function research follows criticism that such experiments lack sufficient transparency and oversight, especially since they are simultaneously funded by U.S. taxpayers and potentially harm the U.S. public. |
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