‘How will we even know?’: Americans are realizing the connotations of Trump’s attack on WHO and CDC
With America facing its first measles death since 2015 and a mystery illness sweeping through the Congo, Americans are realizing what it means that Donald Trump cut them off from WHO and is purging the CDC.
One of Trump’s first moves as president was to announce that he was withdrawing America from the World Health Organization, of which the United States was a founding member. He ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut contact with WHO before temporarily barring all health agencies from communicating with Americans. Meanwhile, he dismantled USAID, which funded numerous programs meant to combat diseases and outbreaks worldwide, including HIV and Ebola. He also recently fired thousands of employees from the CDC, who were monitoring and responding to various outbreaks at home and abroad.
Naturally, these things were concerning from the onset. However, several high-profile news stories on disease outbreaks and response interruptions have especially left Americans realizing that they would really like someone communicating with them on global health matters and assurance that someone is working on outbreak responses.
Disease outbreaks leave Americans uneasy
Foreign and domestic disease outbreaks have left Americans uneasy, especially since it’s only a few years past the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Texas has been facing the largest measles outbreak in 30 years. While the outbreak started with a Mennonite community that typically doesn’t vaccinate for religious reasons, it’s possible the spread to multiple counties could be connected to rising vaccination distrust due to vaccination conspiracies, including those touted by Trump’s Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
On February 25, Americans received the devastating news that the outbreak had become fatal after a child passed away in Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock. The last death from measles was in 2015. In response to the tragedy, Kennedy claimed that measles outbreaks were “common,” even though the U.S. had once eradicated the disease. His dismissive and ill-informed response was hardly reassuring.
Meanwhile, outbreaks abroad are also raising concerns, especially after Elon Musk casually admitted that he temporarily disrupted Ebola prevention efforts while dismantling USAID. His claims that the issue was fixed is likely a lie, as Ebola expert and doctor Craig Spencer explained how the Trump administration had dismantled the entire response structure for Ebola outbreaks within a matter of days. The disruption to USAID and the disconnect between the CDC and WHO is especially concerning now that a mystery disease has been reported in the Congo. The disease is believed to be zoonotic and is sparking grave concerns after it killed over 50 people, most of whom died within just hours of displaying symptoms.
With disruption in response and research efforts from CDC purges, USAID dismantling, and WHO withdrawal, many fear Ebola or this mystery disease coming to America. On social media, users also were struck with the horrifying question of whether they’d even know if these diseases entered the country as Trump guts the CDC and cut out WHO. Christopher Webb wrote, “Serious question: if this or any other deadly virus reaches our shores, how will we even know, other than word of mouth?” Communication is already faltering after the Trump administration canceled a vaccine meeting to prepare for the upcoming flu season with no explanation to Americans.
Americans weren’t told when DOGE “accidentally” disrupted Ebola prevention, nor has the administration been transparent about the measles outbreak or why it’s canceling meetings for flu vaccines. Yet, between Ebola, measles, mystery illnesses, and bird flu, this is a time when America desperately needs to know what is happening with public health. Unfortunately, all they’re getting is mass firings and increasing isolation.
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