“We picked this day on the calendar and left to start our own business. No one has asked us to leave. No one has forced us to leave.”– Kyle McGowan
McGowan, Campbell depart amidst ‘mountain of criticism,’ ‘bungled efforts’
CNN– Two senior Trump political appointees departed the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a senior official at the agency confirmed to CNN.
Kyle McGowan, the chief of staff, and Amanda Campbell, the deputy chief of staff, resigned effective Friday, leaving to start a consulting firm, the official said.
Both left voluntarily, the official added.
The pair had been criticized by Trump administration officials for not being loyal enough.
McGowan started working in Health and Human Services under then-Secretary Tom Price.
He first served as director of external affairs for HHS before moving to the CDC …
CDC’s chief of staff, deputy chief of staff jointly depart
Both Kyle McGowan and Amanda Campbell have been with the health department since the start of the Trump administration.
Aug 14, 2020
Politico – A pair of senior Trump appointees departed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday, a change at an agency that’s been heavily scrutinized for its response to the coronavirus.
Kyle McGowan and Amanda Campbell were two of the handful of Trump appointees currently at CDC, which employs more than 20,000 staff and contractors around the globe.
Internal tensions: The Atlanta-based CDC has been faulted within the Trump administration for its early response to the outbreak, particularly its botched rollout of coronavirus tests and its messaging differences with the White House.
Those factors contributed to the agency’s reduced public profile — a decision that’s been decried by outside public health experts and former CDC directors, who have said that the CDC needs to be more central in public health messaging.
McGowan defended CDC’s response, adding that he had planned to leave the agency earlier this year but stayed on to respond to the coronavirus. “We’re to a point where I feel comfortable leaving,” he said. … Read more.
“The CDC has received a mountain of criticism surrounding its efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Many lawmakers and health experts have criticized the agency, claiming it has struggled to effectively present a united front with Trump and his administration.” – The Hill, August 15, 2020
“The CDC has fought questions about its trust and credibility and drawn accusations from the West Wing that the agency bungled early efforts to ramp up testing — a critical misstep in the nation’s handling of the crisis. CDC officials in May told CNN that their agency’s efforts to mount a coordinated response to the Covid-19 pandemic had been hamstrung by the White House.” – CNN, August 15, 2020