Trump’s Attack on CDC Director Highlights Continued Inappropriate Pressure, Focus on Politics Over Science

CNN: “Trump’s not bothering to hide his political interference in vaccine push”

FLASHBACK – August 27th: “CDC Testing Debacle Latest in Clear and Alarming Pattern of Bullying and Pressure”

Washington, DC – Today, Accountable Pharma released the following statement in response to President Trump’s public scolding of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield. Redfield testified to Congress yesterday that mask use was critical in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and that a vaccine would likely not be available to the American public until “late second quarter, third quarter 2021.” Following Redfield’s testimony.

President Trump publicly scolded his government’s top disease-prevention scientist, saying “[CDC Director Redfield] made a mistake when he said that. It’s just incorrect information…I believe he was confused” and saying he called Redfield after hearing his comments in the hearing.

“If President Trump were actively trying to undermine confidence in his Administration’s vaccine development work, he couldn’t do a better job than he’s doing now,” said Eli Zupnick, spokesman for Accountable Pharma.

“Every time President Trump attacks his own government scientists, says that ‘deep state’ scientists in the FDA are slowing down a vaccine, makes wild claims about vaccines coming ‘very soon,’ and promises a pre-November ‘very big surprise,’ – he further erodes people’s ability to trust his Administration’s vaccine development process. We all want a vaccine to come as quickly as possible and for every American to be able to trust that it was science, not politics, that drove its approval.”

Accountable Pharma has called for greater transparency at the FDA following previous instances of them bowing to inappropriate pressure from President Trump.

A timeline of political pressure on health officials

• August 30: WaPo: “Inside Trump’s pressure campaign on federal scientists over a COVID-19 treatment”
• August 25: NPR: “FDA’s Hahn Apologizes For Overselling Plasma’s Benefits As A COVID-19 Treatment”
• August 24: “Trump’s FDA Intimidation Campaign Pays Off With Politically-Convenient Announcement; Further Undermines Trust in Vaccine, Treatment Approval Process”
• August 22: Trump dials up the pressure with another tweet “The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”
• August 19: Trump insinuates that FDA is trying to hurt him politically through delay: “It could be a political decision because you have a lot of people over there who don’t want to rush things because they want to do it after November 3”
• August 18: “Trump Dials Up Pressure for Pre-Election Vaccine, Wonders if “Deep State” Will Delay Vaccine Announcement Until November 4th”
• August 17: “Trump Pushes Another COVID-19 “Miracle Cure” Hawked By His MyPillow Buddy, Housing Secretary; Watchdog Urges FDA to Stand Up to Pressure”
• August 6: “Watchdog Group to FDA: Patients Need More Than Words On Vaccine Safety Assurance; Supports Health Expert Calls for Additional Transparency”
• July 15: “NEW REPORT – Operation Warp Speed at Two Months: $4 Billion for Drug Companies, Zero Assurances for Patients and Taxpayers”
• June 25: “New Vaccine Report Highlights Trump Administration’s Drug Company Connections, Need for Vaccine Program Transparency”
• June 24: “As Dr. Fauci Expresses Hope for Vaccine By End of Year, Patients Need Assurances That Trump Pressure Won’t Corrupt Development Process”
• June 8: “Watchdog Calls for Independent Patient Advocate to Audit ‘Operation Warp Speed’”
• May 26: “Lack of Transparency, Conflicts of Interest Surround Trump’s “Operation Warp Speed” Vaccine Development Program”