Trump administration stops communication from health authorities

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Lerato Khumalo

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Trump is fulfilling further campaign promises to his voters – and stopping external communication from all health authorities. All developments in the news blog.

1:53 p.m.: According to a report in the Washington Post, the Trump administration has ordered US health authorities to temporarily suspend all external communications. This includes health warnings, scientific reports, website updates and social media posts, according to nearly a dozen current and former officials and other informed people.

The instruction was sent to health ministry officials on Tuesday, including the FDA, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health – just one day after the new administration took office.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had expected a review during a change in government but were surprised by the scope and indefinite duration of the communications blackout. Affected items include the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, health warnings for physicians, and public health data updates, such as drug-related deaths.

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The US CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. (Source: Copyright: xDreamstimexWirestock)

1:41 p.m: The Foreign Office has launched an internal investigation into the apparently targeted leaking of a report by the German ambassador to the USA, Andreas Michaelis. The procedure for passing on the confidential report to German and international media shows “a professional handwriting,” said a ministry spokesman in Berlin. Their actions could have “dramatic consequences” for those involved.

According to media reports, in the report Michaelis commented on the situation in the USA under the government of the new US President Donald Trump. Accordingly, there was talk of Trump’s strategy of “maximum disruption” and warnings were also given about an “eroding of constitutional principles”. In addition to various departments in the Foreign Office, the report was apparently also sent to other German ministries and to the Federal Chancellery.

The Foreign Office spokesman pointed out that the confidential paper was classified as “for official use only”. Any disclosure could result in disciplinary and criminal penalties. First of all, all recipients in the Foreign Ministry have now been asked to make official declarations that they have not disseminated the text. Should anyone tell an untruth in these statements, this could exacerbate possible consequences. “We are also in contact with other ministries and the Chancellery that have received this report,” the Foreign Office spokesman continued.

11:26 a.m.: Donald Trump’s administration is sending diversity officers at US federal agencies on paid leave before the positions are to be abolished. The government’s human resources agency directed agencies in a Tuesday memo to place so-called “DEI” employees on leave by Wednesday afternoon at the latest. “DEI” stands for “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”.

The agency’s memo goes on to say that employees should be informed at the same time that steps are being taken to close all DEI programs and offices. Corresponding measures under the Biden administration should ensure that people of different origins, different genders or with disabilities have equal opportunities in the workplace. The DEI initiatives have been under heavy criticism from the Republican Party for years.

The current order from the government’s human resources office aims to implement a presidential executive order issued on the first day of Trump’s new term in office that aims to scale back previous diversity efforts. In this context, the Trump administration speaks of “discriminatory and illegal preferences” that would constitute a violation of civil rights. The DEI programs are also a waste of taxpayer money. A strictly “performance-related” hiring practice should be used again.

10.12 a.m.: China has rejected allegations made by new US President Donald Trump of influencing the Panama Canal. Beijing is not involved in its management and operation and has “never interfered in the canal’s affairs,” said Chinese Foreign Office spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday, referring to the waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific. The Panama Canal “should not be subject to any direct or indirect control by major powers,” Mao added.