President Trump takes decisive action on controversial virus research linked to the COVID-19 pandemic through a new executive order.
According to the New York Post, Trump signed an executive order Monday prohibiting all federal funding for gain-of-function research in China, Iran, and other nations lacking proper oversight of these experiments. The move comes more than five years after the COVID-19 outbreak, which U.S. intelligence agencies believe likely originated from a laboratory accident.
The executive order targets experiments that enhance the infectiousness of viruses and bacteria, with particular focus on research similar to that conducted on bat coronaviruses by EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The order also implements a temporary pause on all research involving infectious pathogens and toxins until new enforcement policies are developed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the signing a historic moment, marking the end of federal government funding for gain-of-function studies. He explained that these experiments, also known as dual-use research, had been intermittently conducted from World War II until 2001.
The order deputizes the National Institutes of Health and other agencies to identify biological research that could threaten public health or national security. It also tasks the FBI and HHS with identifying potential threats similar to the Wuhan laboratory situation.
NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya emphasized that most scientific research would continue normally under the new restrictions. He noted that gain-of-function experiments, which make pathogens more virulent and transmissible to humans, pose unnecessary risks.
Federal officials have struggled to track the full extent of gain-of-function research conducted in China and other nations. A Department of Defense Office of Inspector General review discovered at least seven grants totaling more than $15.5 million that went to research organizations in China through subrecipients.
The NIAID, then under Dr. Anthony Fauci's leadership, and USAID channeled over $1.4 million in grants through EcoHealth to the Wuhan laboratory between 2014 and 2021. This funding supported a project titled "Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence."
EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak testified to Congress last year about the organization's involvement, admitting that Chinese biosafety regulations were less stringent than U.S. standards. He also acknowledged limited access to the Wuhan Institute's genomic data.
Sen. Joni Ernst praised Trump's decision, emphasizing her long-standing opposition to sending taxpayer dollars to China for what she termed "sketchy pseudoscience." The FBI, Energy Department, and CIA have all indicated that a laboratory leak was the most likely explanation for the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to HHS Secretary Kennedy, the research ban addresses serious concerns about biological weapons development. He cited China's ongoing work with AI and CRISPR technologies, along with similar programs in Russia and Iran.
Trump's executive order received support from various government agencies and officials who have been critical of previous oversight failures. The Pentagon's internal watchdog highlighted significant data limitations in tracking such research funding.
President Trump signed this landmark executive order to prevent potential future pandemics originating from laboratory accidents in countries with inadequate safety protocols. The order specifically targets gain-of-function research in China, Iran, and other nations while implementing stricter oversight measures for biological research that could impact public health or national security. The FBI and HHS will collaborate to identify and prevent emerging threats similar to the Wuhan laboratory situation, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy regarding potentially dangerous scientific experiments conducted overseas.
