Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

New Trump Administration Whistleblower Issues Dire Warning of How Pandemic Will Impact the U.S. After Trump's Botched Response

New Trump Administration Whistleblower Issues Dire Warning of How Pandemic Will Impact the U.S. After Trump's Botched Response
HHS.gov; Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
In testimony to be given before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's health subcommittee Thursday, another Trump administration whistleblower will state the United States is headed for "unprecedented illness and fatalities" unless additional preparations are made.

Dr. Rick Bright's testimony was first obtained by CNN and has since been made public.

Dr. Bright served as the director of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) from November 2016 until April of this year. He had been with the agency since 2010.

According to the former BARDA head:

"On April 21, 2020, I was removed from my positions as the Director of BARDA and HHS (Health and Human Services) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response by HHS leadership and involuntarily transferred to a more limited and less impactful position at the National Institutes of Health."
"I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest funding allocated to BARDA by Congress to address the pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit."
"While my intention in testifying today is to be forward looking, I spoke out then and I am testifying today because science—not politics or cronyism—must lead the way to combat this deadly virus."

Regarding his dire prediction, Bright will state:

"I continue to believe that we must act urgently to effectively combat this deadly disease. Our window of opportunity is closing."
"If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities."

The public health expert will offer another warning to the subcommittee members.

His written testimony states:

"Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history."

Bright's whistleblower complaint filed last week alleged his removal was a direct result of his opposition to pushing for the broad use of President Donald Trump's recommended pandemic treatment.


He plans to reiterate it in his testimony Thursday, stating:

"[I] resisted efforts to promote and enable broad access to an unproven drug, chloroquine, to the American people without transparent information on the potential health risks."

People were not surprised by Bright's claims or his warnings.








Several cited Dr. Bright when they took their Republican legislators and members of the Trump administration to task over the federal pandemic response.






Dr. Bright is slated to testify on Thursday. You can read his full written testimony here.

This shirt is available here.

Amazon

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshot of James Talarico; Ken Paxton
MediasTouch Podcast; Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Texas Democrat James Talarico Has Epic Response To MAGA Opponent's Accusation That He's A Secret Vegan

Texas Senate nominee James Talarico had the perfect response after MAGA Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused him of being a secret vegan.

Talarico is not actually vegan—though there is nothing inherently wrong with veganism. Even so, Paxton has already begun attacking his likely Democratic challenger before he has officially entered the race, arguing that Talarico is unfit to represent Texans partly because of his supposed veganism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Russell Crowe
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Russell Crowe Shuts Down Accusations He Was Rude To Fans In Paris After Video Goes Viral—But People Are Torn

While staying in a hotel in Paris, Gladiator star Russell Crowe was met with a crowd of fans outside, eager to take selfies and receive autographs.

Crowe took the time to work his way through the crowd while still honoring his schedule and other guests at the hotel, and he was able to do that by setting firm boundaries, which were soon met with mixed reviews.

Keep ReadingShow less
Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander
@variety/X

Journalist Slammed After Only Addressing South Korean Film's Two White Actors During Q&A At Cannes

A journalist is being hotly criticized for all but ignoring the Asian stars of a South Korean film at Cannes in favor of the film's two white headliners.

Stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander are being criticized as well for not calling out the journalist's behavior and sticking up for their castmates.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot of Kevin Hart on The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club/YouTube

Kevin Hart Just Tried To Defend Tony Hinchcliffe's George Floyd Joke At His Netflix Roast—And Fans Aren't Having It

Comedian Kevin Hart is facing heightened backlash after picking the worst venue to defend and make excuses for the racist jokes of MAGA comedian Tony Hinchcliffe. Hinchcliffe was included as a featured performer on Netflix's roast of Hart.

Despite getting his backside handed to him by Chelsea Handler, Hinchcliffe still managed to spew some of the bigotry passed off as humor that is his shtick. Hart then decided to go on the popular morning radio show The Breakfast Club to defend him.

Keep ReadingShow less
Zohran Mamdani; Vivek Ramaswamy
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; John Lamparski/Getty Images

Zohran Mamdani Trolls Vivek Ramaswamy Hard After Knicks Sweep Cavaliers—And Fans Are Cheering

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had social media users cackling after he couldn't help but rub the Knicks' sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the face of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Ramaswamy, a billionaire entrepreneur, is currently campaigning for the 2026 election in the state, where he has continued to face accusations that he is out of touch with the average American voter, such as when he suggested lawmakers could help make parenting "more affordable" by making school year-round.

Keep ReadingShow less