Coronavirus whistleblower praised pandemic response before leaving White House
A former White House coronavirus official praised the “unwavering” work of the president's COVID-19 task force in her departure letter, before accusing President Trump of having a “flat out disregard for human life” and saying the "ongoing response" was "a failure." In an interview with the Washington Post published on Thursday, Olivia Troye became the first official who worked extensively on the pandemic response to speak out against Trump, saying that his actions cost lives. “The president’s rhetoric and his own attacks against people in his administration trying to do the work, as well as the promulgation of false narratives and incorrect information of the virus, have made this ongoing response a failure,” she said. However, White House officials familiar with her work say she did not raise concerns during her time as an adviser and delivered glowing praise when she left.
“For the past six months, it has been an absolute honor working closely with all of you and your staffs, as part of the brain trust that has valiantly faced the challenges of fighting what has been one of the worst pandemics of our generation,” she wrote on July 23, according to the text of her letter obtained by the Washington Examiner. “Having been on several conference calls into the late night hours starting in January, to supporting you day and night in every possible way to help you succeed in this mission, I have witnessed first hand how dedicated and committed all of you have been to doing the right thing.” Trump has faced withering criticism for the White House response to a virus that has now claimed almost 200,000 lives. The issue is at the heart of voter concerns in the run-up to November’s elections, and the Trump campaign is desperate to change the conversation. White House officials pushed back forcefully on Troye's version of events, insisting she was a disgruntled former employee.
Troye, 43, worked as a homeland security, counterterrorism, and coronavirus adviser to Vice President Mike Pence for two years. She wrote that her work supporting the coronavirus task force had been the “experience of a lifetime.” “I know that this has been hard for all of us, as we watch our families and all Americans struggle to combat this virus and its effects on our country. Know that your unwavering commitment in the midst of the hardest times is an inspiration to me and Americans across the nation,” Troye said. Less than two months later, she told the Washington Post that the administration lost critical months of time because aides to Pence were dismissive of scientific advice, key agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were sidelined, and that Trump failed to embrace masks. “The mask issue was a critical one,” she said. “If we would have gotten ahead on that and stressed the importance of it, we could have slowed the spread significantly. It was detrimental that it became a politicized issue. It still lingers today.” She added that although she's a lifelong Republican, she plans to vote for Joe Biden this year. In a video posted by Republican Voters Against Trump, a group backing Biden, she added to her claims, saying that in one task force meeting, Trump was even pleased that the coronavirus meant he did not have to shake hands anymore.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/coronavirus-whistleblower-praised-pandemic-response-before-leaving-white-house