Montana Republicans have called for an urgent investigation into reports that a lab worker was bitten by a monkey infected with a deadly strain of Ebola at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, a government research facility focusing on infectious diseases. Senator Tim Sheehy has requested the state's Inspector General to open a probe into the incident, which occurred in November 2025.
Incident Details
According to a letter sent by Sheehy to officials, a worker at the laboratory was bitten through their protective equipment by a monkey infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a strain of Ebola. The employee, who has not been publicly identified, received treatment following the attack and did not contract the lethal illness. Officials confirmed that the worker soon returned to their duties.
Allegations and Reactions
Conservative influencer Laura Loomer, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, alleged that the incident represents a national security scandal. She suggested that safety lapses at the lab may have been an intentional attempt to 'destroy President Trump's legacy.' Loomer also claimed on X that Dr. Vincent Munster, Chief of the Virus Ecology Unit at the lab, was responsible for 'smuggling these pathogens into America.'
Sheehy reshared Loomer's remarks on his X account, stating that his office was 'looking into these allegations' and that 'if they are accurate, this is a massive breach of trust with the people of Montana.' He further declared, 'We don't want Montana to be the next Wuhan,' referencing theories that the COVID-19 pandemic accidentally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.
Additional Concerns
Sheehy's letter noted that the monkey bite was not the only incident at the lab. In February 2026, a worker was potentially exposed to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever while handling lab mice due to a hole in their protective equipment. The senator also cited Dr. Munster, who has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing, as allegedly heightening the risk of a mass Ebola outbreak by bringing pathogens into the United States.
According to Sheehy, Munster traveled to Africa in January 2026 for research and was allegedly detained at a Detroit airport with 'vials with unknown contents in his personal luggage.' A whistleblower later claimed that Munster and his associates were allowed to 'come and go as they pleased' at the lab despite the airport arrest.
Political Response
Following Loomer's allegations, Senators Joni Ernst of Iowa and Rick Scott of Florida joined Sheehy in expressing concern. Ernst wrote on X, 'We need to stop any funding of batty research before it causes another pandemic,' and added to Politico, 'We can never allow another Wuhan to occur, especially within our own borders.'
Lab Response
Despite the panic, Dr. Marshall Bloom, the lab's associate director for scientific management, told the Ravalli Republic that the bitten worker never became ill. 'The person that was exposed to that never developed any signs or symptoms, was completely well, and has been back at work for months,' Bloom said.
A source familiar with the incident told Politico that the worker 'followed all established procedures' to limit exposure and was 'highly experienced and wore all required protective gear.' The source added that 'experienced clinical experts' and 'highly trained safety professionals' decontaminated, isolated, and evaluated the employee.
