Outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard Releases Declassified Documents on U.S.-Funded Biolabs in Over 30 Countries

Washington, D.C. – In one of her final acts as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard declassified and released documents detailing long-standing U.S. government funding for more than 120 biological research laboratories across over 30 countries, including dozens in Ukraine, reigniting debates over biosafety, transparency, and potential risks in overseas pathogen research.

Gabbard announced the release on June 12, 2026, just weeks before her resignation effective June 30 to care for her husband battling bone cancer. In a statement and accompanying video, she highlighted previously withheld intelligence showing U.S. support for these facilities, many focused on infectious disease surveillance, pathogen detection, and research under programs like the Pentagon’s Biological Threat Reduction Program.

The documents confirm U.S. funding for labs handling dangerous pathogens, including sites in Ukraine that intelligence assessments had previously flagged as vulnerable to compromise due to ongoing regional conflicts. Gabbard stated the information had been “intentionally covered up by powerful people falsely claiming that they do not exist,” accusing elements of prior administrations of misleading the public and threatening whistleblowers.

Background on the issue dates to at least the early 2000s, when the U.S. expanded cooperative threat reduction efforts to secure and repurpose Soviet-era biological facilities in former Soviet states, including Ukraine. These programs aimed to prevent proliferation of dangerous materials and improve global health security through monitoring and research on diseases like anthrax, plague, and avian influenza. Public acknowledgments by U.S. officials, including then-Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland in 2022, confirmed the existence of such labs, though emphasis was placed on defensive and public health purposes rather than offensive weapons development.

Critics, including Gabbard during her time in Congress, raised concerns about inadequate oversight, potential gain-of-function research (which enhances pathogen transmissibility or virulence), and risks of accidental release or capture by adversaries. Russian officials have long amplified claims of U.S.-run “bioweapons” labs in Ukraine as justification for military actions, a narrative repeatedly denied by the U.S. and Ukraine as disinformation. The newly released materials do not allege bioweapons production but detail funding, locations, and pathogen-handling activities that Gabbard argued should have been fully transparent to Congress and the public.

The timing of the release, as Gabbard prepares to depart the DNI post, has drawn mixed reactions. Supporters view it as fulfillment of a promise for greater transparency and accountability in intelligence matters. Critics, including some former officials and media outlets, described it as reviving debunked or exaggerated conspiracy theories, noting that many details align with previously disclosed cooperative programs rather than secret weapons initiatives.

Gabbard’s announcement also referenced ongoing reviews of gain-of-function research risks, aligning with broader Trump administration efforts to restrict high-risk experiments that could lead to pandemics. The declassified files are expected to prompt further congressional scrutiny, potential hearings, and reviews of U.S. biosecurity policy worldwide.

This final action by Gabbard as DNI adds to the contentious legacy of U.S.-funded overseas biological research programs, underscoring persistent questions about transparency, risk management, and the balance between scientific cooperation and national security in an era of heightened geopolitical tensions. Additional documents and analysis are anticipated to be made public in the coming weeks.