
President Donald Trump is planning to sign an executive order that would suspend federal funding for gain-of-function research, a controversial practice aimed at making viruses more transmissible or deadly to study their potential risks. The order aims to prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting research that could have dangerous consequences for public health.
Despite the broad scope of the order, reports suggest that bird flu research could be exempted from the funding freeze. Critics argue this potential exemption is alarming, given that bird flu has often been cited by health officials as a likely source of the next pandemic.
While the executive order is expected to cover federally funded programs, it will not restrict research carried out by private institutions. This has led some to raise concerns about whether the move will effectively limit the risks associated with gain-of-function studies.
🚨Trump admin halts funding for gain of function research. Great move, the risk of this research is too great. They want to create a superbug, so we can study the superbug. All good, until it gets out of the lab. This, plus FDA, CDC and NIH halt all public messaging. Today on… pic.twitter.com/i91VFHsPES
— Dr Frank Contacessa (@DrFrank273) January 24, 2025
The White Coat Waste Project, a watchdog group that has campaigned against government-funded virus experiments, has praised Trump’s move. The group previously uncovered funding that supported high-risk research at the Wuhan lab, which many believe played a role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
NEW – President Trump to Halt Funding for Gain-of-Function Research
"The Trump administration is drafting an executive order that would temporarily pause federal funding for gain-of-function research … The goal of the order would be to stop scientists with U.S. funding from… pic.twitter.com/8YiJXr1RJ5
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) January 23, 2025
https://twitter.com/saras76/status/1882428316202008633
Lawmakers such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) have long called for an end to taxpayer support for gain-of-function studies. Despite these efforts, the Biden-Harris administration continued to allocate funds for these projects, further fueling concerns over public safety.
Of course. Disclosure has to start with stuff which is simple to believe. Most people are still tied to the story that there was a pandemic caused by a virus. They are not ready to believe they were simply psyopped by their governments and corrupt media into voluntary euthanasia!
— FélixTheBlack.Cat🇷🇺🪆🇷🇺 🐈⬛ (@FelixTheBlackC4) January 24, 2025
Finally, Gain of Function to be thrown under the bus.
ABOUT TIME!In cased you missed it, this is the research that created Covid, killed, maimed and otherwise cost us all dearly.
After starting the WHO on its path to irrelevance, President Trump to score a win for us all again https://t.co/WfP74W3Qh5
— Guillaume Ceccarelli (@GCsVentures) January 23, 2025
Meanwhile, controversy continues to swirl around former President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon Dr. Anthony Fauci before leaving office. The pardon, which was backdated to 2014, has raised questions about Fauci’s role in the funding of risky virus research and whether the move was intended to prevent further scrutiny.