Clyburn Responds to CDC Review Confirming Trump Administration Undermined Guidance as Virus Spread

Washington, D.C. (Mar. 15, 2021) — Today, Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) review of coronavirus public health guidance issued under the Trump Administration, which identified multiple guidance documents that were not "primarily authored by CDC staff," used "less directive language than … could be supported by existing evidence," and were not supported by the latest science:

"I am deeply concerned by CDC's findings that the Trump Administration undermined the public health response to the coronavirus pandemic by issuing CDC guidance that was at odds with the best available science and in some cases was not even written by CDC scientists. These findings provide further evidence of the sweeping pattern of political interference in the nation's pandemic response that the Select Subcommittee's investigations have uncovered. The Trump Administration put politics over people's lives. I am committed to investigating this conduct fully and taking all steps necessary to ensure that it never happens again."

On September 14, 2020, the Select Subcommittee launched an investigation into political interference by senior Trump administration officials with scientific reports and guidance issued by CDC during the coronavirus crisis.

On September 30, 2020, the Select Subcommittee opened a related inquiry into reports of political interference in CDC's school reopening guidance and called on CDC to "immediately revise CDC's guidance so that it faithfully reflects the science—rather than the partisan political interests of the President." CDC officials subsequently acknowledged that the guidance did not reflect the latest science and removed the misleading school guidance from the agency's website.

On December 10, 2020, Chairman Clyburn wrote to then-Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar II and then-CDC Director Robert Redfield seeking immediate compliance with the Select Subcommittee's investigation into political interference after a witness revealed that career CDC officials were directed to destroy evidence of political interference in the CDC's work. The letter also requested a transcribed interview with Dr. Redfield, but the Trump Administration refused to make Dr. Redfield available.

On December 16, 2020, the Select Subcommittee released evidence that HHS officials discussed a strategy of deliberately allowing Americans to be infected with the coronavirus to achieve herd immunity, sought to downplay the virus threat to help President Trump win reelection, and tried to discredit scientists who provided truthful information to the public.

On December 21, 2020, the Select Subcommittee issued subpoenas to then-HHS Secretary Azar and then-CDC Director Redfield ordering them to produce documents on political interference. The Select Subcommittee also revealed new evidence that Trump Administration political appointees tried to block or alter at least 13 CDC reports related to the coronavirus. The Trump Administration failed to provide a complete response to the Select Subcommittee's requests.

On February 8, 2021, Chairman Clyburn wrote to the White House and HHS renewing the Select Subcommittee's investigation into political interference during the previous Administration. The Select Subcommittee also released new evidence that the Trump Administration weakened CDC guidance to hide positive tests while promoting reopening.

###