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# Trump’s ‘Dangerous’ Meddling at FDA and CDC
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/trumps-dangerous-meddling-at-fda-and-cdc/
- Published: 2020-09-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T16:29:00.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5147679

President Trump and his administration’s “meddling for political purposes” in FDA and CDC activities related to Covid-19 puts the nation at risk, warns a *Washington Post* editorial board [opinion piece](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-political-meddling-in-the-cdc-and-fda-is-downright-dangerous/2020/09/17/7f68cf2a-f77b-11ea-a275-1a2c2d36e1f1%5Fstory.html?ref=fdaweb.com). The *Post* looks at Trump’s touting of hydroxychloroquine and the expanded use of convalescent plasma as examples of overreaching. Recently, the administration has “manipulated” CDC’s scientific [reports](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/09/12/trump-control-over-cdc-reports/?itid=lk%5Finline%5Fmanual%5F8&ref=fdaweb.com) to meet Trump’s political narratives. HHS assistant secretary for public affairs **Michael Caputo** and his scientific advisor **Paul Alexander** reportedly demanded changes to CDC’s reports. When word of the interference got out, Caputo put in a 60-day medical leave request after having a bizarre meltdown on Facebook, and Alexander has left HHS altogether.

Such interference could “misinform the public and distort policy decisions,” the opinion piece says. “Worst of all, it could lead people to lose faith in these public health agencies, cascading into dangerous distrust of a vaccine or drug therapy. It is hard to see the political profit in that.”