Trump Says Ousted Health Official Bright Is 'Disgruntled,' Should Not Work For Government

Trump Says Ousted Health Official Bright is 'Disgruntled,' Should Not Work for Government

Ousted US immunologist Rick Bright is a "disgruntled employee" who should no longer work for the US government, President Donald Trump said on Thursday, just hours before the health official was due to testify in Congress

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2020) Ousted US immunologist Rick Bright is a "disgruntled employee" who should no longer work for the US government, President Donald Trump said on Thursday, just hours before the health official was due to testify in Congress.

"I don't know the so-called Whistleblower Rick Bright, never met him or even heard of him, but to me he is a disgruntled employee, not liked or respected by people I spoke to and who, with his attitude, should no longer be working for our government!" Trump said via Twitter.

Last month, Bright was removed from his positions as the Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. He was transferred to a more limited position at the National Institutes of Health.

Bright claims he was fired after opposing the White House's efforts to promote the use of chloroquine or hydrohycloroquine for COVID-19 treatment, despite the lack of scientific merit.

Bright is due to testify later on Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In his prepared opening remarks, which the committee published on Wednesday, Bright will tell lawmakers that a second wave of the novel coronavirus this coming winter could be the darkest in history, with death tolls that exceed the great Influenza pandemic 100 years ago.

He will also tell Congress that HHS ignored early warnings that it was given in January to prepare for the novel coronavirus pandemic.