President Donald Trump's most senior committee dedicated to biodefense planning has not convened a meeting since the cabinet-level group was established as part of the administration's biodefense strategy in 2018, a spokesperson for Health and Human Services told Code and Dagger.
The Biodefense Steering Committee, chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar, includes the heads of powerful government agencies like Defense, State and Homeland Security. According to the 2018 National Biodefense Strategy (PDF), committee is charged with "overseeing and coordinating the execution of the strategy and its implementation plan with domestic and international governmental and non-governmental partners."
Azar, as head of the committee, "will serve as the federal lead for implementation of the strategy” to combat both man-made and natural outbreaks.
A year and a half after then-National Security Advisor John Bolton presented the strategy -- and more than a month after the beginning of the China-based novel coronavirus outbreak -- the group has yet to hold a meeting.
"That top level committee has not needed to meet since the strategy and implementation plan were released," the HHS spokesperson said in an email.
Related: Coronavirus Coincidence: John Bolton Was Coordinator for Biodefense
In another email, the spokesperson stressed that the committee was not itself designed to be part of the government's response for any particular outbreak, but was meant for more long-term, strategic planning. "They would meet if needed to set a policy," the spokesperson said.
A lower-level Biodefense Coordination Team within HHS, also outside the response mechanism, meets approximately weekly, the spokesperson said.
On Jan. 29 Trump tweeted photos of a White House Situation Room briefing on the coronavirus outbreak that appeared to include representatives from various government agencies -- even some from the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, according to labels and seals shown on a video monitor in the background.
"Just received a briefing on the Coronavirus in China from all of our GREAT agencies, who are also working closely with China," Trump's tweet read. "We will continue to monitor the ongoing developments. We have the best experts anywhere in the world, and they are on top of it 24/7!"
The same day the White House announced the "President's Coronavirus Task Force," also led by Azar, to respond to the outbreak.
In later tweets, Trump said the U.S. was working closely with China to combat the virus' spread.
On Jan. 31 Azar declared a public health emergency in the U.S. in response to the virus, while maintaining the threat to America was "low."
“While this virus poses a serious public health threat, the risk to the American public remains low at this time, and we are working to keep this risk low,” Secretary Azar said. “We are committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans, and this public health emergency declaration is the latest in the series of steps the Trump Administration has taken to protect our country.”
As of this report the virus had infected over 40,000 people globally -- a vast majority in China -- but there were only 12 known coronavirus infections in the U.S. Tests are pending on another 68 potential cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Primary Source: 2018 National Biodefense Strategy (PDF)
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