The firing of the 10,000 or so firings of personnel and agencies within HHS essentially amounts to the almost "...total destruction of the most advanced scientific and health institutions of the entire world."Dr. David Kessler, former FDA commissioner and chief science officer of the White House Covid-19 Task Force, talks with Rachel Maddow about the devastating effects of Donald Trump's cuts to HHS, not only in dismantling important services, but compromising U.S. medical and scientific leadership to a degree that may not be recoverable for decades.
Among the agencies eliminated or decimated and people fired are those who made possible the "warp speed" development of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, including the doctor who saved Trump's life using advanced monoclonal-antibody treatments when he was deathly ill with COVID. Also included were agencies dedicated to studying and preventing toxic substances in food, lead poisoning in children, HIV transmission, mine safety, and many other things. This action showed Trump's disdain and hatred for science and scientists, and little or no regard for whom he was firing and the lives and well-being of the people affected by their work. As some of the commentators said:
See also: RFK Jr. targets the nation’s public health infrastructure with brutal layoffs and cutsThe fact that he doesn't know who he fired should tell you something. It doesn't mean he's ill-informed. It means he doesn't care.
As a german i never would have thought one day i'd be watching with disbelief and horror what's happening in your country and i wish you strength and success in your effort to get rid of this administration !
After seeing the callousness and carelessness of these public health service cuts, it is clear the enormous death toll during covid mishandling was no mistake. He simply considered those poor victims were all expendable.
Rachael, this is not just an incompetent president. He is intentionally doing these things.
He saved Trump's life and he got fired? What did you expect?
This affects everyone no matter which country you live in. He needs to be gone. NOW!
What an insane travesty that a man as disdainful and ignorant of science as RFK, particularly medical science, was put in charge of the nation's most important and once most advanced and world-renowned health institutions!
What he did to the FDA alone is particularly devastating:
Trump has demonstrated complete disdain for experts of nearly every kind. Absolute, unquestioning loyalty to himself is virtually the only qualification Trump absolutely requires of any who serve him.Dr. Robert Califf, the former FDA commissioner, said the agency as Americans have come to know it, is now “finished.” The New York Times added that the agency has now lost nearly all of its traditionally nonpolitical experts on food, drugs, vaccines and medical devices.
