US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has opened up a formal probe into the contribution of Biden-administration officials toward funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Tulsi Gabbard affirmed during The Megyn Kelly Show that her office closely collaborates with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The group is investigating COVID-19’s origins, sharply focusing on Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was a past NIH official.

The new probe aims to expose Fauci’s alleged perjury and halt US-backed gain-of-function research that may have contributed to the pandemic. Gabbard insists the virus leaked from a lab in China—not from natural transmission. Her latest move escalates pressure on US institutions to be transparent, especially as conflicting intelligence reports emerge.

Tulsi Gabbard Targets Fauci and Lab Funding

Tulsi Gabbard blamed Dr. Fauci for deceiving the public and even Congress. She formed a task force known as the Directors Initiative Group. Its purpose is to pursue the President’s highest priority areas of investigation. One of them is COVID-19’s origin.

She disclosed that the task force is currently operating through existing federal platforms, such as Covid.gov. Its purpose is to find out how US taxpayer funds were used to support high-risk biological research in Wuhan and other places.

US-Funded Gain-of-Function Experiments in Question

Gabbard would like to stop gain-of-function experiments. This contentious practice manipulates viruses to become more lethal or contagious for the purposes of scientific study. She feels this type of research brought about the pandemic—or at least made it more likely.

She said, “In the case of the Wuhan lab, as well as in many other bio labs globally, it was actually US-funded.” Gabbard emphasized that such funding has to cease right away in order to avoid future global health catastrophes.

Increasing Support for the Lab Leak Hypothesis

Gabbard agrees with prominent Trump-era officials and agencies. Earlier in 2024, the CIA reported COVID-19 almost certainly originated in a lab, though with “low confidence.” In 2023, the FBI supported the lab-leak hypothesis with “moderate confidence.

In the meantime, the National Intelligence Council led by Biden favored the natural origin explanation. However, Gabbard has dismissed such a theory. She maintains that evidence and motive both point in the direction of a laboratory accident in Wuhan, China.

Political and Scientific Flashpoint

Gabbard’s position has been backed by members of the Trump administration. Last month, the release of a new White House web page accused Fauci of covering up and funding the Wuhan research. The page details NIH grants that found their way into the Chinese lab.

The new investigation can potentially revive political fights over pandemic responsibility. It also brings new questions regarding how deeply the US is involved in foreign labs doing risky research.

Public Trust and International Oversight

In addition to domestic accountability, Gabbard’s inquiry points to the bigger picture: the absence of international oversight on biological research. Her request to stop gain-of-function experiments arrives at a time when countries are re-evaluating strategies for pandemic prevention.

If confirmed, the US indirect funding of an experiment that led to a pandemic would be a huge scientific ethics and transparency failure.