Chinese nationals were caught smuggling a lethal fungal weapon aimed at America’s heartland, revealing a coordinated attack on our food supply that could have devastated US agriculture and threatened national security.
Key Takeaways
- Two Chinese nationals, including a CCP member, were arrested for smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a dangerous fungal pathogen considered a potential agroterrorism weapon
- USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has launched a comprehensive initiative to strengthen American food security and sever ties with Chinese research partners
- FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the suspects planned to use University of Michigan facilities for unauthorized research with the smuggled pathogen
- The USDA is also implementing nutritional reforms by removing soda and candy from SNAP benefits in additional states
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has permanently ended all gain-of-function research to prevent similar biothreats
Chinese Nationals Caught in Bioweapon Plot
FBI and Customs and Border Protection agents have thwarted what officials describe as a direct national security threat after arresting two Chinese nationals charged with smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States. The suspects, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, were caught attempting to bring Fusarium graminearum—a fungus that causes devastating crop diseases—into the country with alleged intentions to conduct unauthorized research at the University of Michigan. Investigations revealed Jian has received funding from the Chinese government and maintains direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party, raising serious concerns about state-sponsored agroterrorism targeting America’s food supply.
“This case is a sobering reminder that the Chinese Communist Party continues to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate our institutions and target our food supply, an act that could cripple our economy and endanger American lives. Smuggling a known agroterrorism agent into the U.S. is not just a violation of law, it’s a direct threat to national security. I commend the FBI Detroit Division and our partners at CBP for stopping this biological threat before it could do real damage,” said FBI Director Kash Patel
The fungus in question is particularly alarming to agriculture experts and national security officials alike. Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight, a devastating disease that affects wheat, barley, and other cereal crops, potentially destroying entire harvests and causing billions in economic damage. The pathogen also produces mycotoxins that pose significant health risks to both humans and livestock when consumed, making it an ideal candidate for an agroterrorism attack targeting America’s food production capabilities. Liu admitted during questioning that he smuggled the pathogen for research purposes, though investigators are probing deeper connections to the Chinese government.
USDA Launches Comprehensive Food Security Initiative
In direct response to this alarming security breach, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced a sweeping new initiative to strengthen America’s food security infrastructure. The comprehensive program will include a full review of USDA operations, enhanced coordination with agricultural experts nationwide, and immediate termination of a controversial partnership between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a USDA research facility in Georgia. This decisive action comes as authorities confirm a third Chinese national has now been charged in connection with biological smuggling operations, further highlighting the systematic nature of these threats.
“If we don’t have food security in this country we will not have national security,” said Brooke Rollins.
Secretary Rollins has prioritized protecting America’s agricultural infrastructure since taking office under President Trump, recognizing that foreign adversaries increasingly view our food supply as a strategic vulnerability. The newly announced initiative will streamline communication between federal agencies, state agricultural departments, and private sector farming operations to create a more resilient defense against biological threats. Additionally, enhanced screening protocols at ports of entry and research facilities will be implemented to prevent future smuggling attempts of dangerous biological materials that could devastate American agriculture and threaten public health.
HHS Secretary Kennedy Ends Gain-of-Function Research
Working in tandem with the USDA’s security efforts, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken decisive action to eliminate a potential source of future biothreats by permanently ending all gain-of-function research in the United States. This controversial type of research, which involves deliberately enhancing pathogens to study their effects, has been under a national moratorium, but Kennedy has now made this ban permanent. This policy aligns with the administration’s broader commitment to protecting Americans from engineered biological threats while ensuring responsible scientific research continues under appropriate safeguards.
“We’ve put an end to all gain-of-function studies. It should have never been done, and it won’t be done again,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Justice Department is currently considering elevating charges against the Chinese nationals to felony indictments as the investigation continues to uncover additional evidence. The current charges include conspiracy, smuggling biological materials, making false statements, and visa fraud. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that the smuggled pathogen represents a genuine agroterrorism threat that could have caused catastrophic damage to American agriculture had it been successfully deployed in targeted regions of the country’s agricultural heartland.
USDA Strengthens Nutritional Standards for SNAP Benefits
As part of a broader effort to fortify America’s food systems and public health, Secretary Rollins has also implemented significant reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The USDA has approved waivers for three additional states to remove soda and candy from eligible SNAP purchases, bringing the total to six states implementing these nutritional standards. This policy aims to redirect a portion of the $119 billion program’s resources away from non-nutritious products and toward healthier food options that better serve the program’s intended purpose of providing genuine nutrition to needy Americans.
“Secretary Rollins told me, ‘Yeah they came to my office.’ I asked her, “What did you tell them?’ She said ‘We’re paying for nutrition, and there’s no nutrition in your product,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
This nutritional reform is particularly significant given that an estimated $27 billion in SNAP benefits has been spent on junk food, undermining the program’s health objectives. A 2014 study suggested that eliminating SNAP subsidies for sugary drinks alone could significantly reduce obesity rates among program participants. The policy change represents the administration’s commitment to ensuring taxpayer dollars support genuine nutritional needs rather than subsidizing products that contribute to America’s obesity epidemic and related health problems, thereby strengthening the nation’s overall food security and public health infrastructure.
