In a bold move that puts America first and safeguards our nation from reckless international science experiments, President Donald Trump signed a groundbreaking executive order this Monday, decisively slashing federal funding for gain-of-function research worldwide. This courageous decision specifically targets dangerous experimentation in countries like China and Iran, which have proven incapable of maintaining adequate safety standards.
Gain-of-function research, as defined by News-Medical, involves altering viruses or other microorganisms to increase their transmissibility, virulence, or adaptability. Simply put, it’s the kind of reckless tinkering that many believe led directly to the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged the world, destroyed economies, and cost millions of lives.
Speaking from the Oval Office, President Trump made his stance crystal clear: “It’s a big deal. It could have been that we wouldn’t have had the problem [with COVID-19] had we done this earlier.” He’s absolutely right. Had we been proactive years ago instead of funneling taxpayer dollars into questionable labs overseas, the global nightmare of COVID-19 might have been entirely avoided. Americans deserve better, and this executive order ensures they will get just that.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, President Trump’s respected choice as director of the National Institutes of Health, stood firmly alongside the President on this critical issue. Bhattacharya told reporters, “The conduct of this research does not protect us against pandemics, as some people might say. There’s always a danger that in doing this research, it might leak out just by accident, even, and cause a pandemic.” Trump responded pointedly, “So it can leak out innocently, stupidly, incompetently, but innocently, and half destroy the world, right?” Bhattacharya confirmed unequivocally, “That’s right, Mr. President.”
Let’s remember that under Dr. Anthony Fauci’s leadership, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funneled over $1.4 million to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology through EcoHealth Alliance between 2014 and 2021, according to the New York Post. This same Wuhan lab conducted precisely this kind of troubling research just prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, raising red flags about the true origins of the virus.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. minced no words, asserting that nations like China, Russia, and Iran are “deeply engaged” in gain-of-function research, potentially with nefarious military purposes. Kennedy Jr. added, “In all the history of gain-of-function research, we can’t point to a single good thing that’s come from it.” He couldn’t be more correct. There is absolutely no justification for risking global health and national security to pursue dangerous biological experiments.
This executive order is a testament to Trump’s unwavering commitment to protecting American citizens from foreign threats, biological or otherwise. It underscores the critical importance of transparency and accountability, both within our borders and abroad. As the President stated clearly, we must lead by example, and we must hold our partners accountable. Ending federal funding for reckless research overseas is a vital first step.
Moreover, this move sends a powerful message to the world: America will no longer be complicit in funding irresponsible labs in hostile or untrustworthy nations. Instead, we will invest our resources in safe, responsible, and productive biological research that truly enhances our national security and medical advancements.
President Trump’s decision to slash funding for dangerous gain-of-function research is a decisive victory for common sense, national security, and public health. It’s about time we put an end to the irresponsible practices that risk human lives and global stability. America First means protecting Americans from unnecessary threats abroad, and President Trump’s executive order does exactly that.
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