Outgoing U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tells Lawmakers U.S.-Funded Foreign Biolabs Include Highly Infectious Pathogens

Outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told U.S. officials that U.S. funding has supported more than 120 biolaboratories in over 30 countries, and that many of those facilities include pathogens that can cause highly infectious disease. The disclosure, reported June 12, was made as Gabbard prepares to leave the role, according to The Washington Times.

Gabbard’s remarks drew attention to the scope of U.S. financial involvement in overseas laboratory capacity, including efforts connected to disease research and related biodefense work. According to the report, she characterized multiple sites as containing or being associated with pathogens capable of producing infectious outbreaks, while emphasizing that the disclosure was tied to what U.S. intelligence officials assess about the facilities.

The report frames the announcement as a significant transparency step, but it also raises questions about oversight and risk management for work conducted abroad. Public safety concerns focus on how such pathogens are handled, what security measures apply at each site, and how the United States verifies compliance with rules governing biosafety and biosecurity.

In the same reporting, the disclosure was tied to the intelligence community’s perspective on foreign laboratory activities. Gabbard’s comments were attributed to the outgoing DNI’s remarks, without the article specifying which countries host the laboratories or naming particular pathogens.

The revelation comes amid longstanding international debates over the boundaries between legitimate public health research and the governance of high-consequence biological materials. Even where labs are intended for medical research and disease surveillance, the presence of highly infectious pathogens can create acute stakes for host communities if controls fail or if reporting is delayed during an emergency.

As lawmakers and oversight bodies digest the new information, the immediate next steps are likely to involve requests for more detail on the locations, purposes, funding mechanisms, and compliance safeguards tied to the overseas laboratories. The disclosure also sets up potential scrutiny of how U.S. agencies manage foreign partnerships, ensure accountability, and communicate risk-related information to Congress.

Because the report does not list specific pathogens, countries, or contracts, key details remain unclear. Further confirmation and documentation will be needed to determine exactly which sites are involved, what pathogens are present, and how biosafety, biosecurity, and accountability standards are enforced for each facility.