Outgoing intel chief says US funded over 120 biolabs in more than 30 countries

The US has funded a sprawling network of over 120 biolabs in more than 30 countries, outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleged on Friday.

"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 of being foreign assets and traitors to America," Gabbard said in a statement.

"Many of these US government-funded biolabs are currently or have previously engaged in research using hazardous and highly contagious pathogens, in some cases including dangerous Gain-of-Function research, with very little visibility or oversight," she added.

Gain-of-function refers to a type of research that modifies an existing organism to enhance existing traits or produce new ones. Trump sought to curtail it in May 2025 when he signed an executive order prohibiting US funding from going towards that specific type of research.

While Gabbard alleged an expansive network of US-funded labs across roughly three dozen nations, the accompanying declassified information she released only specifies four labs in Ukraine. It is unclear where the additional alleged biolabs are or were located, and whether they remain active.