White House threatens FDA chief Hahn if Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine isn't authorized Friday

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Yamiche Alcindor
@Yamiche
Incredible.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Friday told Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, to submit his resignation if the agency does not clear the nation’s first coronavirus vaccine by day’s end.

White House threatens FDA chief Hahn if Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine isn’t authorized Friday
The message from a top Trump aide prompted the agency to accelerate its announcement, which had been planned for early Saturday.
washingtonpost.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/12/11/trump-stephen-hahn-fda-covid-vaccine/


White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Friday told Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, to submit his resignation if the agency does not clear the nation’s first coronavirus vaccine by day’s end, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss what happened.

The threat came on the same day that President Trump tweeted that the FDA is “a big, old, slow turtle” in its handling of vaccines, while exhorting Commissioner Stephen Hahn to “get the dam vaccines out NOW.” He added: “Stop playing games and start saving lives!!!”

The warning led the FDA to accelerate its timetable for clearing America’s first vaccine from Saturday morning to later Friday.

A White House official declined to comment, saying “we don’t comment on private conversations, but the Chief regularly requests updates on progress toward a vaccine.”

The warning, combined with the tweets, constituted the latest attack by Trump, who has complained vociferously that the vaccine wasn’t authorized before Election Day, blaming it on the ‘Deep State’ inside the agency that he accused of working against his reelection. Trump was also said to be upset that Britain cleared the vaccine before the United States, although the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been developed and reviewed in record time.

*snip*

[usajumpedtheshark]

1. Bone-spur baby thinks he is a tough guy

[Pobeka]

2. And there goes another huge loss of trust in the FDA's ability to be unbiased WRT science.

Great way to get less people to take the vaccine.

Where the hell is the senate? Trump should be shown the door right now. GOP is complicit in all this.

[Klaralven]

11. The science was over with the advisory panel review and decision yesterday

Anything after that is bureaucratic delay.

[RainCaster]

3. DFT is ready to take credit for this- it will help him win the election!

F**king moron probably thinks that way...

[malaise]

4. One man will have time to go mow the meadow

in 40 days. Fuck off losers - this is not your call.

[rustysgurl]

5. He wants "HIS" vaccine NOW!

So he can take credit for it. If the asshole could emblazon his name on every vial, every syringe and have banners at every vaccination venue with his name in HUGE block letters he would do it.

How effing sad is that?

[PSPS]

6. Well, there goes any hope of enough people wanting to get the vaccine.

[world wide wally]

7. He's getting into "Reign of Terror" mode now

[Hekate]

8. His base loves that kind of talk, which boils down to: "Trust nobody but me. Newspapers are...

...enemies of the people. Scientists are pointy-headed elites who look down on you. Only I can be believed. Stick with me, for I am the biggest bully of all and will beat up on everybody but you—trust me.”

.

[Ms. Toad]

9. Then I hope we see a very public resignation.

Doing anything else adds to the perception that safety corners are being cut for political reasons.

[IcyPeas]

10. he' mad cause Britain is already administering them.

he can't yell FIRST.