NEW: The complicated ouster of top vaccine scientist RICK BRIGHT — a fight over Covid-19 treatment and his management decisions, and the Trump team’s push to oust him dating back more than a year. politico.com/news/2020/04/2…
Bright led the health department’s vaccine arm until this week — reportedly finding out about his transfer when he couldn’t get into his email.
Bright told NYT’s @maggienyt today he was forced out for opposing malaria drugs touted by Trump.
Bright told NYT’s @maggienyt today he was forced out for opposing malaria drugs touted by Trump.
But Trump appointees had been trying to oust Bright for more than a year, unhappy with his management. POLITICO first learned about those disputes last year, before the Covid-19 outbreak hit the U.S.
Bright didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment across Wednesday.
Bright didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment across Wednesday.
POLITICO first wrote on March 27 about how Trump’s push for malaria drugs to fight Covid-19 was warping the health department’s response, and again on April 6 on health officials’ concerns (and being silenced). politico.com/news/2020/04/0… 
UPDATE: Rick Bright, vaccine expert who said he was ousted for opposing Trump’s drive to acquire malaria drugs, recently praised the acquisition in internal emails. politico.com/news/2020/04/2…
The Trump administration has been working to oust Bright since last year, as officials battled with him over his management and leadership.
With permission, sharing this time-stamped text from individual with knowledge of those fights.
With permission, sharing this time-stamped text from individual with knowledge of those fights.
Possible for several things to be true:
— Trump’s push on malaria drugs was inappropriate
— That push alarmed health officials like Bright
— But some of those officials sent mixed messages about it
— Efforts to oust Bright predated Covid-19, as officials told me months ago
— Trump’s push on malaria drugs was inappropriate
— That push alarmed health officials like Bright
— But some of those officials sent mixed messages about it
— Efforts to oust Bright predated Covid-19, as officials told me months ago
Late Wednesday, an HHS official went on record and said that Bright played a role in acquiring malaria drugs for the Trump administration.
(But worth noting, as POLITICO has repeatedly reported, that some federal officials have felt wrongly pressured by Trump’s push.)
(But worth noting, as POLITICO has repeatedly reported, that some federal officials have felt wrongly pressured by Trump’s push.)
