Federal agencies ordered to terminate dangerous gain-of-function funding

On May 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14292, titled 'Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research', taking aim at what the administration describes as dangerous gain-of-function (GOF) research that threatens American public health and national security. The order directs federal agencies to terminate funding for dangerous GOF research conducted by foreign entities in “countries of concern”—including China and Iran—as well as in any foreign nations where research oversight is deemed insufficient to meet United States standards.

According to a White House fact sheet released at the time, the order seeks to prevent federally funded experiments abroad that could spark another pandemic, citing past work on bat coronaviruses involving the EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a cautionary example. GOF research involves manipulating pathogens to make them more transmissible or virulent, a practice defenders argue helps scientists prepare for future outbreaks, but critics warn carries catastrophic risks of lab leaks. More than a year after that executive action, in May 2026, newly revealed oversight efforts indicate the scope of such research was far broader than previously disclosed. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has launched an intelligence community review of more than 120 biological laboratories operating across over 30 countries that have allegedly received U.S. taxpayer funding for years or decades.

In comments to the New York Post and subsequent reports, Gabbard said her team is working to identify exactly where these labs are located, what pathogens they house, and what type of research is being conducted. The stated goal is to terminate any dangerous experiments and claw back funds flowing to facilities that do not meet U.S. safety and ethical guidelines.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the probe as a corrective to years of opacity. “The prior administration bankrolled dangerous gain-of-function research and foreign biolabs with American tax dollars, then deliberately hid it from the American people,” Hegseth said in a statement. He added that the declassification and investigation reflect the administration’s effort to “right these historic wrongs.” Among the regions reportedly drawing scrutiny is Ukraine, where more than 40 U.S.-linked bioresearch facilities are said to operate. While the Pentagon has long maintained that such facilities conduct peaceful public health and biodefense research, the new investigation reflects deep skepticism within the Trump administration about whether that research stayed within safe boundaries—or whether it crossed into riskier territory without adequate congressional or public oversight.

The executive order and subsequent biolab probe represent a dramatic shift in how the federal government approaches international scientific collaboration. Where previous administrations emphasized global cooperation on pandemic preparedness, the current administration argues that American tax dollars should not subsidize research abroad that could accidentally trigger the very outbreaks it seeks to prevent.

The investigation remains ongoing, with intelligence officials expected to deliver detailed findings about each lab’s funding streams, research activities, and biosecurity protocols in the weeks ahead.

Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, effective June 30, 2026, to care for her husband, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.