Comedian Kathy Griffin has called Tulsi Gabbard "crazy," after the former congresswoman spoke out about the threat of "U.S.-funded bio labs" in Ukraine being hit by Russian forces, leading to the potential spread of "deadly pathogens."
Gabbard has faced widespread derision since making the statement in a video shared on Twitter on Sunday, with a number of her detractors appearing to believe—erroneously—that she had suggested the U.S. has funded biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine.
While it is unclear whether Griffin also believed this to be the case, the comedian made her feelings clear about the former presidential hopeful's claims.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday, the Suddenly Susan star wrote: "This b**** is crazy. Like, I'm inappropriate and polarizing or whatever. But this one here. Legit crazy."
Griffin made her statement in response to Gabbard's tweet, which read: "There are 25+ US-funded biolabs in Ukraine which if breached would release & spread deadly pathogens to US/world. We must take action now to prevent disaster.
"US/Russia/Ukraine/NATO/UN/EU must implement a ceasefire now around these labs until they're secured & pathogens destroyed."
In Gabbard's accompanying video, which has been viewed more than 2.8 million times, 2020 presidential hopeful Gabbard said there are that 25 to 30 "U.S.-funded bio labs" in Ukraine that are conducting research into dangerous pathogens.
She went on to express unease at the potential of these "deadly pathogens" being released if the labs in question are compromised amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Like COVID, these pathogens know no borders," Gabbard said. "If they are inadvertently or purposely breached or compromised, they will quickly spread all throughout Europe, the United States and the rest of the world, causing untold suffering and death."
Following the release of the video, and a recent appearance on Fox News, Gabbard was criticized for appearing to lend credibility to unsubstantiated claims pushed by Russian government officials and Kremlin-related outlets that the U.S. is funding laboratories in Ukraine to develop biological and chemical weapons. Gabbard did not repeat these particular claims in her video or during her appearance on Fox News.
The claims appear to have been used as justification for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
While the U.S. has dismissed accusations of developing biological weapons in Ukraine, officials have confirmed that $200 million has been invested in 46 Ukrainian laboratories since 2005 to research deadly pathogens. The research project is part of the Pentagon's Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP).
On Monday, Gabbard responded to Republican Senator Mitt Romney who had said in a tweet that she was "parroting false Russian propaganda" and that her "treasonous lies" could "cost lives."
In a series of tweets, Gabbard challenged Romney to provide proof that such U.S.-funded biolabs do not exist in Ukraine, adding that if he can't, he should "apologize and resign from the Senate."
"So, Senator Romney, you have a choice: out of pride, continue to deny the truth or admit you are wrong, apologize, and resign," Gabbard said. "Aloha. And remember that without the truth, we can be neither safe nor free."
On Tuesday, the former Hawaii congresswoman returned to Twitter to clarify her comments, in a bid to counter a clear "miscommunication and misunderstanding."
"'Biolabs' are facilities which contain and experiment with dangerous pathogens, ostensibly for the purpose of serving the public good (i.e. vaccines, etc.). 'Biological weapons labs' are facilities which exist for the purpose of turning pathogens into weapons so they can be used against an enemy (i.e. 'bioweapons')," she wrote.
She went on to state that the danger of pathogens being released from bio labs in Ukraine was "very real," adding: "We need to take action immediately to prevent an impending catastrophe."
The World Health Organization has reportedly advised Kyiv to destroy high-threat pathogens being stored in the country's labs as a precaution, should Russian attacks reach the facilities.
