Trump administration might consolidate pandemic response at State Department
Source: Politico
Aides to President Donald Trump are considering a plan to shift the governments global response to future infectious disease outbreaks to a new unit inside the State Department, according to documents obtained by POLITICO.
The proposal, discussed during a National Security Council deputies committee meeting on Thursday, already has set off a turf battle between the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID officials were surprised and perplexed by the idea, which could lead them to lose control of significant funds and authorities.
People familiar with the issue say Dr. Deborah Birx, a top official handling the administrations response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is likely to wind up in charge of the new unit if it becomes a reality. The proposal also could, to some degree, establish an alternative mechanism to some of the work done by the World Health Organization, whose U.S. funding Trump has threatened to permanently end.
The overall effort, first reported by the media platform Devex, is described as the Presidents Response to Outbreaks, or PRO.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/22/trump-coronavirus-state-department-275139?cid=apn
CurtEastPoint
(18,635 posts)what he is doing.
brooklynite
(94,483 posts)...with an international group under US control.
OAITW r.2.0
(24,398 posts)Pompeo will do the dirty and Trump's response will be to talk to Mike.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Interesting that it did not take us long to see right thru the idea. so at least we are getting wiser.
Or more suspicious....same thing.
brewens
(13,559 posts)LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,577 posts)It's time to rearrange the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.
FloridaBlues
(4,007 posts)msongs
(67,381 posts)brooklynite
(94,483 posts)Ill go with that for now/
Efilroft Sul
(3,578 posts)But the real question everyone should ask is, "What pandemic response?!"
Captain Zero
(6,799 posts)Everytime Pompeo talks about leaving he suddenly gets more. Seems like to me.
Pompeo is building an oligarchy over at State Dept. which will fund things in orivate sphere that just happen to put a little cash in Pompeo's pockets? I'm betting yes.
Efilroft Sul
(3,578 posts)TeamPooka
(24,217 posts)Retrograde
(10,132 posts)which should be taking care of, I dunno, health-related things? And a department of homeland security (hate that name) that's supposed to be responsible for things that threaten the security of the country.
Some days I think my cat could do a better job of running the country.