February 13, 2018: The Intelligence Community’s Worldwide Threat Assessment warns of major pandemic risks.
In written testimony before Congress on the presentation of the Intelligence Community’s Worldwide Threat Assessment, the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats
writes:
The increase in frequency and diversity of reported disease outbreaks—such as dengue and Zika—probably will continue through 2018, including the potential for a severe global health emergency that could lead to major economic and societal disruptions, strain governmental and international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support. A novel strain of a virulent microbe that is easily transmissible between humans continues to be a major threat, with pathogens such as H5N1 and H7N9 influenza and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus having pandemic potential if they were to acquire efficient human-to-human transmissibility.
April 9, 2018: John Bolton starts his first day as National Security Adviser.
John Bolton
replaces H.R. McMaster as President Trump’s National Security Adviser.
April 10, 2018: Bolton fires Homeland Security Advisor, Tom Bossert.
Early in the morning, Bolton informs Tom Bossertthat he is
fired. As White House Homeland Security Advisor Bossert “had called for a comprehensive biodefense strategy against pandemics and biological attacks,” reports the
Washington Post.
May 7, 2018: White House proposes cutting global health budget.
The White House sends a plan to Congress proposing budget cuts. It includes cutting out
$252 million for health security preparedness in funds remaining from the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic.
May 7, 2018: The National Security Council’s director of medical and biodefense preparedness warns that pandemic flu is the top health security concern and that the country is not prepared for it.
Luciana Borio, NSC director of medical and biodefense preparedness,
states, “The threat of pandemic flu is the number one health security concern. Are we ready to respond? I fear the answer is no.” Borio’s statement is part of her remarks at a symposium at Emory University to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
May 8, 2018: The National Security Council removes the top official responsible for pandemic response and disbands the global health security team.
President Trump’s National Security Advisor, John Bolton,
removes Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer from the National Security Council and
disbands Ziemer’s unit, the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense. Previously, Ziemer was the sole senior official focused on pandemic preparedness. He is not replaced.
May 15, 2018: Two members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
writeto John Bolton, President Trump’s National Security Advisor, to express their concern over the recent actions “taken to downgrade the importance of global health security.”
Congressmen Gerald Connolly (D-VA) and Dr. Ami Bera (D-CA) write to John Bolton,Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and head of the National Security Council, “to express the deep concerns with several recent actions the White House has taken to downgrade the importance of global health security.”
“We fear these recent decisions will leave the United States vulnerable to pandemics and commit us to a strategy of triage should one occur,” state the congressmen, citing Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer’s departure from the NSC, the elimination of Ziemer’s global health team at the NSC, and the president’s proposed funding cuts to Ebola pandemic-preparedness programs. They urge Bolton to reconsider the demotion of the “global health security portfolio and reject the proposal to rescind Ebola contingency funds.”
May 18, 2018: Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio sends the president a
lettersaying the decision to cut funding for global health programs and disband the global health team at the National Security Council could cost American lives.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, a moderate Democrat from Ohio, writes to President Trump expressing his concern over Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer’s departure from the NSC, the elimination of Ziemer’s global health team at the NSC, and the president’s proposed funding cuts for pandemic-preparedness programs. Sen. Brown urges the president:
“In our globalized world, where diseases are never more than a plane ride away, we must do all we can to prepare for the next, inevitable outbreak and keep Americans safe from disease. I urge you to act swiftly in reaffirming your commitment to global health security by taking immediate action to designate senior level NSC personnel to focus on global health security, supporting adequate and appropriate funding for global health security initiatives, and leading the way in preparing for the next pandemic threat.”
