Trump Administration Orders Halt to Federal Health Agency Communications

The Trump administration has instructed federal health agencies to temporarily cease all external communications, including the release of public health reports, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The directive, sent to health workers on Tuesday, calls for an “immediate pause” on regulations, press releases, social media posts, website updates, and public health guidance.

Acting Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department (HHS), Dorothy Fink, stated in the memo that some exceptions would be made for “critical health, safety, environmental, financial or national security functions,” but only after a thorough review process. The pause specifically impacts publications like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and other data releases.

The order, slated to remain in effect until February 1, requires that all materials be approved by a Trump appointee before release. Critics have expressed concern that this communications freeze could be used to suppress research and information that does not align with the administration’s priorities.

The move has sparked fears reminiscent of Trump’s first term (2017-2021) when he frequently clashed with public health officials, particularly regarding the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Trump famously blamed increased COVID-19 testing for unflattering statistics.

“So I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please.'”

Later, CDC leaders testified that they were pressured by Trump administration officials to alter the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which they refused to do. While Republican leaders deny those allegations, the new communication halt has raised similar concerns.

However, some experts suggest that such pauses are a normal part of a new administration’s transition period.

Fink, an endocrinologist, is currently leading HHS on an interim basis while the US Senate considers Trump’s pick for Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, a prominent vaccine skeptic.

This communications freeze comes on the heels of another controversial move by the Trump administration. On his first day back in office, Monday, the United States officially withdrew from the World Health Organization, accusing the group of “mishandling” the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics argue that this withdrawal will severely hamper the US’s ability to prepare for future pandemics and hinder crucial international collaborations.