Trump administration runs pandemic office with a single vaccine-skeptic staffer

The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, once staffed by multiple Biden-era officials, now operates with a single employee: Sara Brenner, a former FDA deputy commissioner and vocal vaccine skeptic. Appointed in July, Brenner joined the office amid rising concerns over global disease threats and will share responsibilities with Rachel Idowu, the National Security Council’s director of bio-response. Former White House insiders argue that a two-person staff is insufficient for coordinating inter-agency pandemic strategies.

Brenner’s background includes public statements against Covid-19 vaccination and involvement in a memo questioning vaccine benefits for children. Meanwhile, the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo is intensifying, highlighting the perceived lack of prioritization for pandemic preparedness in the current administration.