Rep. Eric Burlison, a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is urging federal investigators to examine what he describes as a concerning pattern involving the deaths and disappearances of scientists connected to sensitive U.S. research programs.

In a post on X, Burlison said at least 11 scientists tied to critical national security and research initiatives have either died under unusual circumstances or gone missing in recent years. He said the overlap of cases raises serious questions and warrants further investigation.

“Scientists tied to critical U.S. programs are going missing or turning up dead under unusual circumstances,” Burlison wrote, calling for “answers” from federal authorities.

The concerns come as President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration has already launched a review of the cases, describing the situation as “pretty serious stuff” and indicating that preliminary findings are expected soon.

Burlison said he has been tracking several of the incidents for more than a year, arguing that the number of cases involving scientists with access to advanced aerospace, defense, or classified research is too significant to ignore.

He suggested the possibility that some of the cases could be linked to foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, or Iran, though no evidence has been publicly presented to support that claim. He also referenced potential connections to research involving unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly referred to as UAPs.

Among the cases cited is the disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William “Neil” McCasland, who was reported missing in February after leaving his home in New Mexico. McCasland previously worked in advanced aerospace research roles.

Other cases referenced include scientists affiliated with major federal and private research institutions such as NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, as well as academic researchers and private-sector scientists.

Some individuals, including physicist Nuno Loureiro of MIT, were reported killed in separate violent incidents. Others, such as cancer researcher Jason Thomas and NASA-affiliated scientists Michael Hicks and Frank Maiwald, were reported to have died or gone missing under circumstances that have not been fully detailed publicly.

Authorities have not confirmed any link between the cases, and officials caution that there is currently no verified evidence connecting the incidents to one another.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said federal agencies are reviewing the cases and working to determine whether any patterns exist, adding that “no stone will be unturned.”

Despite the lack of confirmed connections, several Republican lawmakers, including Burlison, argue the clustering of cases involving high-level scientific personnel warrants closer scrutiny due to potential national security implications.