U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order to block federal funding for gain-of-function (GoF) research into viruses and biological agents, citing national security risks and pointing directly to China and other so-called “countries of concern.”
The move halts U.S. government support for GoF studies both domestically and abroad, with a particular focus on suspending funding in nations like China and Iran. These controversial experiments aim to enhance the infectiousness or lethality of pathogens, often for the purpose of anticipating and preventing future pandemics — but critics warn they can create biohazards with global consequences.
Trump’s order, released Monday, comes amid renewed scrutiny over the origins of COVID-19 and long-running allegations that the virus may have leaked from a research lab in Wuhan, China. That lab had received U.S. funding prior to the pandemic — a connection that has fueled political and scientific debate ever since.
“Unrestricted gain-of-function research could significantly endanger the lives of American citizens,” the executive order warns, alleging that such work could lead to “widespread mortality,” cripple healthcare systems, and pose economic and national security threats.
The order imposes an immediate suspension of U.S.-based GoF programs for at least 120 days while federal policy is reviewed and potentially rewritten. Trump also blamed the Biden administration for what he described as lax oversight and approval of “dangerous” viral research, both at home and abroad.
Trump’s action adds fuel to a contentious international narrative. While the president and some U.S. officials have long argued that a lab leak in China could have caused the COVID-19 outbreak, Beijing has denied the allegations, accusing Washington of politicizing the pandemic and spreading misinformation.
In a broader geopolitical context, the order touches on ongoing tensions with Russia, which has accused the U.S. of operating or supporting biological research labs near its borders, including in Ukraine. Moscow claims these labs engage in bioweapons development — charges the U.S. has firmly denied, insisting its programs are aimed at public health and vaccine research.
The Pentagon has acknowledged involvement in supporting biological labs in Ukraine and other regions but maintains the work is focused solely on preventing disease and has no offensive military component.
The executive order represents one of Trump’s most direct attempts to reshape U.S. scientific policy around national security concerns and comes amid speculation about his continued political influence and possible 2024 ambitions.
