Top Trump adviser warned then-president on virus supply shortage, then pursued controversial deals
Source: Washington Post
A top adviser privately urged former president Trump to acquire critical medical supplies in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak and after the warning was ignored, pursued his own ad hoc strategy that committed more than $1 billion in federal funds and has since prompted multiple probes, according to newly released documents from congressional investigators.
Peter Navarro, who served as Trumps trade adviser, warned the president on March 1, 2020, to MOVE IN TRUMP TIME to invest in ingredients for drugs, handheld coronavirus tests and other supplies to fight the virus, according to a memo obtained by the Houses select subcommittee on the coronavirus outbreak. Navarro also said that hed been trying to acquire more protective gear like masks, critiquing the administrations pace.
There is NO downside risk to taking swift actions as an insurance policy against what may be a very serious public health emergency. If the covid-19 crisis quickly recedes, the only thing we will have been guilty of is prudence, Navarro wrote to the president. At the time, there were about 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States and just two deaths linked to the outbreak.
But after Trump ignored Navarros recommendations, the trade adviser embarked on his own strategy to acquire supplies with little oversight, Democrats said. Navarro subsequently steered a $765 million loan to Eastman Kodak to produce ingredients for generic drugs, a $354 million contract for pharmaceutical ingredients to a start-up called Phlow and a $96 million sole-source contract for powered respirators and filters from AirBoss Defense Group.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/31/navarro-pandemic-supply-contracts-trump/
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OLDMDDEM
(1,572 posts)that Dumpy was in way over his head. He was never a leader. It was all about him and nothing else. He should be charged with deriliciton of duty, at a minimum.
bahboo
(16,337 posts)OLDMDDEM
(1,572 posts)wiggs
(7,812 posts)underpants
(182,791 posts)None. Jared was in charge of reinventing the wheel and thereby screwing up testing and PPE.