Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Friday that her office uncovered evidence showing the U.S. government funded more than 120 biological laboratories across over 30 countries, including facilities in Ukraine that intelligence officials previously warned could be vulnerable during the ongoing war with Russia.
“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 in a video statement.
Gabbard said some of the laboratories conducted research involving hazardous and highly contagious pathogens. She added that certain facilities engaged in gain-of-function research, a practice that modifies pathogens to study how they may become more transmissible or dangerous.
According to Gabbard, intelligence assessments previously determined that at least one U.S.-funded laboratory in Ukraine likely housed dangerous pathogens and remained susceptible to Russian attack, seizure, or accidental damage.
The intelligence chief accused previous government officials of withholding information about the laboratories from the public. She argued that Americans had not been given a complete picture of the scope, locations, and activities of the facilities.
“Until now, evidence regarding the full existence and funding of these laboratories had been knowingly withheld from the American people,” Gabbard said. “The information surrounding the existence, history, locations and funding of these US funded biolabs has been intentionally covered up by powerful people falsely, claiming that they do not exist and accusing anyone who says otherwise to be foreign assets and traitors to America.”
Gabbard linked the newly released information to President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict gain-of-function research. She pointed to Trump’s executive order ending federal funding for gain-of-function research worldwide, saying the move is a response to what she called the significant risks such work poses to public safety.
She also said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently directed intelligence agencies to increase monitoring and information collection related to overseas biological laboratories. That effort, she said, has already produced new information about clinical trials and research activities that raise ethical, financial, and national security concerns.
Gabbard also criticized former administration officials and public health leaders, including Anthony Fauci, accusing them of misleading the public about the existence of U.S.-funded biolabs overseas.
“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 U.S.-funded and supported biolabs, and threatened those who attempted to expose the truth,” Gabbard continued. “ODNI will continue to work closely with partners across the government to identify where these labs are, what pathogens they contain to end dangerous Gain-of-Function research that threatens the health and wellbeing of the American people and people around the world.”
She pledged that ODNI would continue working with other federal agencies to identify the locations of the laboratories, determine which pathogens they contain, and prevent future gain-of-function research that could threaten public health and national security.
Read the full article here