Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Friday that her office has uncovered evidence of U.S. government funding for 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. According to Gabbard, some of these laboratories conducted gain-of-function research on hazardous pathogens, and she accused previous officials of deliberately withholding this information from the public. The disclosure comes as Gabbard linked the findings to former President Donald Trump's ban on federal funding for such research and pledged increased intelligence oversight.

The 120-Laboratory Network: Ukraine, Gain-of-Function, and the Intelligence Gap

Gabbard's statement, released in a video address, asserts that after months of searching intelligence community holdings, her office is releasing new evidence of what she called a long-standing pattern of U.S. funding for biolabs abroad. The most specific geographic reference is to at least one U.S.-funded laboratory in Ukraine that, according to Gabbard, likeely housed dangerous pathogens and remained susceptible to Russian attack, seizure, or accidental damage. Beyond Ukraine, the DNI did not name other host countries or provide a full list of facilities, leaving a significant gap between the claim of 120 labs and actionable public knowledge.

The gain-of-function research component adds particular urgency. Such research involves modifying pathogens to study how they might become more transmissible or dangerous — a practice that has been controversial since the COVID-19 pandemic revived debates about lab safety and dual-use research. As Gabbard described it, these activities pose "significant risks to public safety ," which she tied directly to Trump's 2020 executive order ending federal funding for gain-of-function research worldwide.

What Gain-of-Function Research Actually Entails — and Why It Remains Controversial

Gain-of-function research (GOF) is a branch of virology in which scientists alter a pathogen to enhance its transmissibility,virulence, or host range. Proponents argue it helps prepare for pandemics by predicting how natural viruses might evolve; critics counter that it creates unnecessary biosecurity risks and raises the possibility of accidental release. The Biden administration lifted the Trump-era funding ban in 2021, but the policy remains a political flashpoint. Gabbard's disclosure revives that debate by claiming that U.S.-funded labs abroad continued GOF work even after the ban.

According to the DNI's announcement, the intelligence community is now directed to increase monitoring of overseas biological laboratories — a step that suggests previous oversight was insufficient. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has already produced new information about "clinical trials and research activities raising ethical,financial, and national security concerns," though no specific examples were provided in the release.

Gabbard's Accusations of a 'Cover-Up' by Fauci and Previous Officials

A striking element of Gabbard's statement is her direct accusation that previous administration officials and public health leaders — including Dr. Anthony Fauci — knowingly withheld information about the labs' existence and funding. She said the information had been "intentionally covered up by powerful people who falsely claim they do not exist and accuse anyone who says otherwise of being foreign assets and traitors to America." This is a sharp partisan charge that goes beyond factual disclosure into political blame. The source article does not include any on-the-record response from Fauci or the named former officials,so those allegations remain unverified by independent sources.

As reported by the intelligence chief, the claim of a "cover-up" is central to her argument for new oversight. However, without corroboration or rebuttal, readers should treat this as one side of a contentious political narrative.

Unanswered: Who Oversees These Labs and What Pathogens Are Stored?

The most significant open questions revolve around operational details. Gabbard said the U.S. funded 120 labs but did not specify which federal agencies managed the funding — for example, the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, or the State Department. Nor did she release a list of host countries beyond Ukraine, or identify the pathogens studied in the gain-of-function work. It also remains unclear whether any of the labs operated under bilateral agreements, host-country oversight, or international biosafety standards.

As Gabbard herself acknowledged, the intelligence community is still working to identify "where these labs are, what pathogens they contain, and to end dangerous gain-of-function research." This admission underscores that even the DNI's office does not yet have a complete picture — a fact that will likely shape oversight hearings and public debate in the coming weeks.