Musk claims that USAID funded bio-arms study

(MENAFN) Elon Musk has labeled the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) a “criminal organization,” alleging that it financed bioweapon research, including studies that contributed to the emergence of COVID-19. Musk’s comments followed a post on X claiming that USAID funds supported gain-of-function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, possibly leading to the pandemic. Musk, responding to the allegations, stated that USAID used taxpayer money for such research, which he argued resulted in millions of deaths.

The allegations align with claims that USAID has been used as a front for the CIA, especially concerning the origins of COVID-19. The EcoHealth Alliance, a U.S.-based nonprofit, has been embroiled in controversy due to its collaboration with the Wuhan lab. Although EcoHealth denies its involvement in gain-of-function research, in 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suspended federal funding to the group, citing concerns about research oversight.

Meanwhile, the CIA has shifted its stance, now supporting the theory that COVID-19 may have originated from a lab leak rather than a natural source. USAID has funded several global health initiatives, including the PREDICT program aimed at identifying pandemic-prone viruses, and its successor program, which was shut down in 2023.

Additionally, Russia has raised concerns about U.S.-backed biological research labs in various countries, including Ukraine, accusing them of being involved in bioweapon research. While the U.S. Department of Defense acknowledges its support for laboratories in Ukraine, it maintains that these efforts are focused on preventing disease outbreaks, not on weaponization. Both Russia and China have called for greater transparency regarding U.S. military biological activities.

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