According to a statement issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), information regarding the existence, funding, and operations of these laboratories had been withheld from the American public until now.

The statement alleged that details about the locations, history, and funding of the US-backed biolabs were intentionally concealed, while individuals raising questions about them were dismissed or accused of spreading foreign disinformation.

The ODNI further claimed that several of these US government-funded laboratories have conducted research involving hazardous and highly contagious pathogens. In some instances, the research allegedly included gain-of-function studies, which involve modifying pathogens to better understand their transmission or virulence.

The disclosure comes months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in May 2025 aimed at ending federal funding for gain-of-function research conducted abroad and increasing oversight of high-risk pathogen studies.

In a statement, Gabbard said: “Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact research on dangerous pathogens in biolabs can have, 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.”

She added that the ODNI would continue working with government agencies to identify the locations of such laboratories, determine the pathogens they contain, and end what she described as dangerous gain-of-function research that could threaten global public health.

The claims are likely to intensify debate in the United States over biosafety, government transparency, and the oversight of high-risk biological research.