USAID Shipped Thousands of Viruses to Wuhan Lab Linked to Chinese Military
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has reportedly sent numerous virus samples to a laboratory associated with the Chinese military in Wuhan. A recent document reveals that over a decade, USAID dispatched about 11,000 virus samples to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
The virus shipments originated from Yunnan province in China, which is where the global pandemic began. USAID funded these exports, raising concerns about the laboratory’s biosafety practices and its ties to the People’s Liberation Army.
This initiative, known as Preduct, drew $210 million in funding but failed to establish long-term storage solutions once the financing ended. The program was led by the University of California, Davis, and aimed to collect virus samples from multiple countries.
Importantly, this collection included one of the closest known relatives of the coronavirus that caused widespread devastation in 2020. A senior State Department official stated that the investigation, which involves funding from USAID’s previous Global Health Awards, is ongoing. They reassured the public that these controversial programs would not be funded under the Trump administration.
Recently, USAID was shut down after an investigation by President Trump’s Government Efficiency (DOGE) found numerous instances of misuse of taxpayer money.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked on the situation, pointing out that USAID had created extensive NGO networks globally at taxpayer expense, but has not shown significant success since the Cold War’s end. He noted that development goals remain unmet and that this has exacerbated instability and anti-American sentiment.
In a related note, Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist from Rutgers University, expressed concerns that USAID’s $210 million funding should have included stipulations ensuring that all samples be stored within U.S. government facilities. He criticized the program for not fulfilling this requirement.
