Brace yourself for a story that’ll make you question where your tax dollars are really going.

Under the Trump administration, the Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) South in Peru is pressing forward with hazardous experiments on Nancy Ma's night monkeys, a vulnerable primate species, despite mounting criticism from watchdog groups and shifting government policies on animal testing, Just The News reported. 

Let’s start at the beginning: Congress has been souring on medical tests deemed cruel and unnecessary, especially those involving dogs and cats.

Uncovering the Navy's Controversial Monkey Experiments

Yet, while domestic pets get a reprieve, NAMRU South has shifted focus to less conventional subjects—Nancy Ma's night monkeys, a small, at-risk species already dwindling due to illegal captures for research.

Earlier this spring, the Navy halted what it called “inhumane” testing on dogs and cats, crediting an investigation by the White Coat Waste Project (WCW) for the change.

But the same mercy hasn’t extended to these primates, as WCW’s latest probe reveals NAMRU South’s ongoing work with deadly pathogens like malaria, dengue, and E. coli.

Taxpayer Funds Fuel High-Risk Research

“Taxpayers should never be forced to bankroll monkey experiments overseas—especially at a high-risk military bioagent lab,” declared the White Coat Waste Project.

Well, isn’t that a punch to the gut? While hardworking Americans tighten their belts, NAMRU South reportedly shelled out $200,000 in August alone to acquire more monkeys for testing.

This isn’t pocket change either—the research is backed by a hefty $28 million in active Department of Defense grants, plus additional funds from entities like the CDC, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and even Dr. Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Disturbing Details of Monkey Treatment Emerge

WCW’s investigation paints a grim picture, with photos and videos showing these primates caged, tattooed, and prepped for shipment from a breeding facility at the National University of San Marcos.

Once at NAMRU South, they’re injected with lethal diseases, from diarrheal infections to malaria, all in the name of science.

Meanwhile, the CDC is reportedly winding down its own monkey research this fall under a directive from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., passed via a deputy, which begs the question—why isn’t the Navy following suit?

Questions Linger Over Funding and Ethics

Adding to the controversy, one contract from the prior Biden administration, valued at $100,000, extends through 2028, locking in years of funding for this divisive program.

WCW has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to dig deeper into NAMRU South’s records, and one can only hope transparency will shed light on whether this research is truly worth the cost, both moral and financial.

At a time when government overreach and questionable spending are under the microscope, this story of endangered monkeys and military labs feels like a stark reminder of priorities gone astray. If Congress is turning against animal cruelty in labs, shouldn’t all agencies get the memo? Let’s keep the pressure on for answers and accountability, because no one wants their hard-earned money funding a real-life horror show overseas.