Trump struggles to explain why he disbanded his global health team
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Trump struggles to explain why he disbanded his global health team
A view of the White House seen on April 7, 2015 in Washington, DC. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP - Getty Images
One of Donald Trump's most important missteps in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak happened before anyone had even heard of COVID-19. In fact, the president's first error came back in 2018 .
It was two years ago when Trump ordered the shutdown of the White House National Security Council's entire global health security unit. NBC News had a good report on this recently, noting that the president's decision "to downsize the White House national security staff -- and eliminate jobs addressing global pandemics -- is likely to hamper the U.S. government's response to the coronavirus."
It was against this backdrop that a reporter asked Trump late last week about whether he was prepared to "rethink having an Office of Pandemic Preparation in the White House." The president replied :
"I just think this is something, Peter, that you can never really think is going to happen. You know, who -- I've heard all about, 'This could be...' -- you know, 'This could be a big deal,' from before it happened. You know, this -- something like this could happen.... Who would have thought? Look, how long ago is it? Six, seven, eight weeks ago -- who would have thought we would even be having the subject? ... You never really know when something like this is going to strike and what it's going to be."
It's worth emphasizing that this is Trump's second explanation related to his decision to disband his global health security team. "I'm a business person," he explained two weeks ago in response to a similar question. "I don't like having thousands of people around when you don't need them. When we need them, we can get them back very quickly."
As it turns out, the administration cannot actually reassemble such a team "very quickly," though Trump, still unfamiliar with how much of the executive branch works, may not have known that.
It set the stage for this new argument: Trump dissolved the White House's pandemic team because he had no idea he might need a pandemic team .
Except, that's not an especially satisfying answer. The whole point of having a team focused on epidemiological threats is (a) viral outbreaks can happen; (b) one never knows when they'll happen; and (c) countries want to be prepared when they do happen.
According to the president, "you can never really think is going to happen," but the National Security Council's team existed precisely because officials recognized the possible hazard. Indeed, as the New York Times noted overnight that President Barack Obama established the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense at the National Security Council after the 2014 Ebola outbreak, making clear that some folks were acutely aware of possibilities like these.
It's as if the president is unfamiliar with the idea of insurance on a conceptual level.
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He disbanded it because Obama
He is the WORST president this country has EVER had.
Unfortunately, it's impossible to know if the change at the White House had any impact. The idea was so new, it hadn't had a chance to be tested. If the previous apparatus had been in place, what would be different? Would testing kits have worked better? Would there have been more of them? Would all traffic into the US have been blocked? Would they have been able to find out how sneaky the incubation of this virus is any faster?
In the meantime, Trump has appointed Pence to coordinate the various government agencies fighting the pandemic. That seems to have been the point of the preexisting program anyway.
NO, it's not impossible to know if had any impact.
It has had an enormous impact on the response to this.
Just keep on excusing this inept, incompetent bumbling administration/'president'
You keep posting that with nothing to back it up. Hows about some "ferinstances"?
Just keep on excusing this inept, incompetent bumbling administration/'president.
That's all his supporters seem to be good for.
So you have nothing. ....................again.
Please give us details.
It seems like you're asking me to be angry for no reason.
Was I talking to you? [deleted]
So you have nothing. ....................again.
Yes. You were. Take a look. You said to me:
To which I responded,
I wasn't nasty to you and I even said "please." You want to answer my request for details now? Or do you want to keep being nasty?
Doesn't matter what details I provide to you, you will twist and excuse this incompetent bumbling inept moron of a 'president' and administration.
Well why don't you give it a shot for shits and giggles?.........Please.
Not at all. I am genuinely curious. There are many approaches to this around the world. Even different states have different approaches. I very much want to know what works and what doesn't.
There is a lot of talk out there and a lot of emotion. People are panicking. Is talk that Trump is screwing things up more panic or legitimate criticism? If it's legitimate, we should be able to support the idea by pointing to what he should be doing that's different.
So I'll ask again. What is it that would have happened differently and better if he had not dismantled this pandemic apparatus in the White House? Would it really have changed anything?
It is my understanding that this system had only been in place for a couple of years. Had it even had a chance to be tested yet? Was there any evidence that it was effective in the way intended?
If you were just venting, please speak up and say so. This is a matter that is important to people and games don't help anyone.
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I guess you're determined to be nasty, so I will assume you were just being emotional when you said
You have been asked multiple times now, and very politely, to explain the impact and you clearly can't. And you think you have license to be shitty to people.
Once again you make the claim that this system was "proven to work" but you don't say how.
Having been challenged on this and failed to respond multiple times, I am left to conclude that this is an emotional fantasy you are creating and there is no truth to it.
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I've given you the answer MULTIPLE times. Like tRump, that's not the answer you want
I don't think so. Maybe you misunderstand the question? I understand the nature of the program, how it came to be and what happened to it. I don't need you to keep telling me about it.
What I am interested in is how we know that getting rid of it "had an enormous impact" on anything. That system was never tested, as far as I can tell. Since it was implemented there had been no outbreak like this to test it against. We have no idea if it would have been any different than the methods used this time around or any time before.
Well that's ONE way of looking at it.
They also could have been in place, pushed a few buttons, ordered all of the correct test kits and been far ahead of where we are now with national protocols, etc.
On the other hand they could have been a hot, confused mess that the President could rightly point fingers at and place the blame on.
Instead, we have what we have, daily contradictions by the POTUS and his experts, few test kits and a spreading epidemic that threatens to thin the 'boomers' and the 'silent generation' permanently.
A true conspiracy theory would be that it is deliberate to save Social Security. /s
This is a tactic taught at the Heartland Institute Internet manipulation school.
Several of this school's far right wing graduates are paid to be here.
Funny how hard it is to tell them from the Russian bots.
Guess the Heartland institute for propaganda has added to their tobacco and fossil fuel clients. Vlad Putin now seems to be a Heartland Institute client.
Pushed a few buttons, eh?
It's a shame that in the 100 or so other countries with coronavirus, no one thought to push a button.
Nope, you're not getting the answer you want so you twist it.
It's so glaringly obvious. I have a good idea who some others are . . .
I'm sorry you feel that way, but you're wrong.
No, you're not. I'm correct, you are wrong.
The Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense had been in place since late 2014. What evidence do you have that it had not been tested?
Based on the WHO website, from 2014-2018 there were a dozen disease outbreaks every month, many that required international cooperation.
Here is one of the most recent Ebola outbreaks that was coordinated by that team:
BTW, until early 2019, Trump was touting the work of Global Health Security and Biodefense. There are multiple WH reports about the necessity for their 'government wide response. Here is the first one signed by Trump:
I’m not sure I see the connection. From what I’m reading, this move that Trump made happened in April 2018 , which was a month before this Ebola response was happening. So if we could respond to that without those allegedly critical people, maybe they were superfluous after all. On the other hand, I’m not sure it’s fair to compare the circumstances of that outbreak to the Coronavirus.
So is it your posit is that their planning and strategy disappeared in thin air the moment that Trump disbanded to directorate?
Oh and BTW, Trump was STILL 'trumpeting' their planning and strategy in his 2018 and 2019 report.
It's not about 'critical people', it's about critical infrastructure and international/inter-agency relationships.
I didn't compare the circumstances. I cited it because you insisted without evidence that the 'idea' had not been tested. You can go to the WHO website for over 100 possible examples.
Back in the day when Ronny Jackson was an up and coming Navy doc in Bethesda, his nick name was 'bunny',
because he was always so loyal, fluffy and a major butt kisser. Tonight on Fox news he cemented that reputation by lauding the President and saying that President Trump saved untold lives by example of his leadership on the virus "issue" from "day one".
I know it wasn't north Korean news because it was Fox and he was being questioned by Hannity in English.
/s
I'm so thankful that my family doesn't listen to the Faux News bullshit. I can't imagine trying to talk down a family member from stockpiling a years supply of toilet paper. Nor can I imagine talking a family member down from trying to contract the virus just because they think it will make liberals cry.
No, I am not positing (who talks like that?) anything. I am responding to the claim that changes at the White House had an "enormous impact on our response" to the outbreak. I am not arguing for against the claim. I am only asking for support for the claim so that I can assess whether or not the claim has merit. So far, I have not seen the details I have asked for.
I do. Issue?
I'm responding to YOUR claim that the changes by the WH had NO impact.
So when you say ' I'm not sure I see' something, you're now claiming that isn't an argument. Hilarious.
The issue between you and I is whether YOU can support the POSIT that there was NO impact at all. You insist that it can't be proven that dissolving had any impact and I insist that you can't was NO impact. Please proceed.
Correct. "I am not sure" is a pretty clear indication that I am still trying to formulate an opinion. Is this really the conversation you came here to have?
Sorry, but you're having an argument with yourself. The things you are claiming are simply not true. I'm not going to have an argument over something I don't believe. If you want to address what I was really interested in, great, but it looks like you want to have some other argument that has nothing to do with me. Peace.
That's false. You expressed an unequivocal opinion in this comment:
Yet still haven't supported it with anything while in contrast, I provided links that refute your opinion.
I'm addressing your comments. You pretend to be 'formulating and opinion' and I am giving you FACTS for you to reach that goal.
Nope. I'm not having an argument with anyone.
What claim that I have made isn't true?
Again, I'm not arguing with you. I am refuting your posit. What you 'believe' is irrelevant unless and until you can support it with facts.
Again, I am addressing YOUR posit. I have submitted evidence, you have not.
Ok have a nice day
Oh and BTFW, are you aware that Trump has closed the COVID-19 task force meetings to anyone that doesn't have security clearance?
That means many of the Medical and Government experts are left without a seat at the table.
Fascinating.
I wouldn't want just anyone either with the rash of "leaks" that have come out. I am sure the higher level heads are briefing the others about the meetings and, unless I miss my guess, those without clearance are expressing their concerns/points to those who ARE in the meetings and are having their voices heard. This isn't some damned storm warning. As shown in the media so far, supposition and fear rules the day and keeping that bullshit out is to the administration's advantage at this stage of the game. Look at all the second guessing not only here, but in the media about the handling that they have no clue about.
Then the 'higher level heads' are violating classified information laws and regulations.
The fact is, many of the people involved in the repatriation of the cruise ship in Oakland were informed about the operation and were told that it was classified. That included, the Mayor of Oakland, City counsel members, LEOs, Medical Centers, Oakland Port authority employees and who knows how many State of CA employees.
Nothing was 'leaked'.
If there are leaks in the WH, that sounds like an issue with Trump's hiring practices.
The biggest source of 'supposition' is Trump. He's been lying about this outbreak from the get go and he's lying about his own reaction to the break out.
Hell Trump is STILL correcting the bullshit that he spewed last night.
[Deleted] I am sure they are being told what they need to know Reader's Digest version.
BFD. That information was on a need to know basis I am sure and the people involved NEEDED to know as it affected their daily operations and functions/communities. And why in the hell would they feel the need to leak anything. There was a lot of prep work that needed to be done and something WAS being done. Who would it benefit, except the administration as it showed a great cooperation Feds to State/local. SMMFH
What do you want him to do? Tell people to make sure to fulfill their bucket list cuz we're all gonna die?
I am sure there have been several administrations throughout our history that hid things until solve under the guise of "the public good".
Even THAT version needs to be declassified.
It is when one insists that shit needs to be classified because of leaks. There are a lot of people on that list that have no federal security clearance.
Yes and again, no leaks. See how trusting the right people can ensure no leaks?
STOP LYING.
Since that would be lying, NO.
The only thing that Trump is trying to hid is his own incompetence. Of course it's impossible because the market is on fire and officials with integrity are refusing to shovel Trump's bullshit.
you can never really think is going to happen. You know, who -- I've heard all about, 'This could be...' -- you know, 'This could be a big deal,' from before it happened. You know, this -- something like this could happen.... Who would have thought?
I'll tell ya who woulda thought...a pandemic response team! Rump is a moron-in-chief.
Well, Trump claimed nobody knew that the flu killed people - because he didn't know despite his grandfather having died of it.
A president who has no clue why it is important to be prepared for a pandemic. Everyone with a brain thought it could happen.
What a total imbecile.
Someone asked me what relevance a pandemic preparedness team had to do with this possible pandemic and what the big whoop was about tRump disbanding the pandemic response team.
DUH!
He can't explain it because he is academically challenged. What I want him to explain is why he hasn't been tested as he was at a meeting where a participant tested positive. Even though he was not in close proximity of that person, he has now been exposed. God help him if the CV lands in the WH because he won't get tested.
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