Did USAID funding contribute to COVID-19 lab leak?
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a key role in global health initiatives, particularly through its PREDICT program, launched in 2009, according to a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
This program aimed to identify and monitor pathogens with pandemic potential by funding research institutions like EcoHealth Alliance.
EcoHealth Alliance collaborated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China to study bat coronaviruses, collecting samples to assess their potential to infect humans. The goal was to prevent pandemics by identifying dangerous viruses before they could spread widely.
However, after the emergence of COVID-19, scrutiny increased regarding these collaborations. Some suggested that research at WIV could have played a role in the pandemic’s origins. While no conclusive evidence supports the theory that SARS-CoV-2 leaked from a lab, investigations by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies are ongoing.
Political and governmental fallout
In January 2025, President Donald Trump ordered a near-total freeze on foreign aid. Shortly after, Elon Musk announced that he and Trump were in the process of permanently shutting down USAID. Employees were instructed not to report to work, and USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., closed except for essential personnel. Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” while Trump described it as an organization “run by radical lunatics.”
Their alliance has led to dramatic restructuring within government agencies, with Musk gaining influence through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Critics argue that USAID is a tool of U.S. foreign policy, influencing global affairs under the guise of humanitarian aid. According to Mike Benz, a former State Department official, USAID is more than just an aid agency—it is a “linchpin of America’s global influence” connecting the State Department, the Pentagon, and the Intelligence Community. Its mission, he argues, is to align foreign institutions with U.S. interests rather than provide purely humanitarian assistance.
The COVID-19 origins investigation and USAID’s role
A House of Representatives committee investigating the COVID-19 pandemic released a report on December 2, 2024, concluding that SARS-CoV-2 likely leaked from a Wuhan lab rather than occurring naturally. The Republican-led Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic conducted over 30 interviews, reviewed 1 million pages of documents, and scrutinized the role of U.S. science agencies, including NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).
The 520-page report claims that WIV conducted “gain-of-function” research using NIAID funding to modify coronaviruses. It also revealed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had convened a grand jury to investigate potential crimes related to COVID-19’s origin. Documents were subpoenaed from EcoHealth Alliance, though the nonprofit denied being a target of any DOJ probe.
Democrats on the panel released a counter-report disputing these claims, arguing that the viruses studied at WIV were too distantly related to SARS-CoV-2 to be responsible for the pandemic. They also defended Dr. Anthony Fauci, who had been accused of downplaying the possibility of a lab leak.
Further supporting concerns about U.S. funding for research at WIV, a document obtained via FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) by White Coat Waste Project confirmed that Ben Hu, a researcher at WIV, received over $10.6 million from NIAID and $38 million from USAID’s PREDICT-2 program for bat coronavirus research. The funding was directed through EcoHealth Alliance and UC Davis, with USAID funding ending in 2019, just before the COVID-19 outbreak. This raises concerns about U.S. involvement in virus research at WIV and its potential link to the pandemic.
USAID’s shutdown and the global impact
According to the statement from USAID, on Friday, February 7, 2025, all USAID direct-hire personnel worldwide will be placed on administrative leave, except for those designated for mission-critical tasks. USAID, in coordination with the State Department, will arrange return travel to the U.S. within 30 days for employees stationed overseas and terminate contracts deemed non-essential.
USAID shutdown weakens U.S. leverage in foreign policy
The shutdown of USAID has sparked intense debate. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy called it “the total destruction of an agency that has saved countless lives and advanced American interests for decades.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that allowing “an unelected billionaire” to control U.S. foreign policy poses “a grave national security risk.”
Even some Republicans are concerned, noting that USAID has been critical in stabilizing regions vulnerable to terrorism and conflict. Experts warn that with the dismantling of USAID, the United States risks losing an essential tool of soft power.
In addition to shutting down USAID, it was earlier reported that Donald Trump had signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
