Trump health official ousted after allegedly giving himself a fake title

Steven Hatfill, a senior advisor at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), was dismissed over the weekend following reports that he had assigned himself an inflated title and failed to cooperate with departmental leadership. In response to his termination, Hatfill claimed to The New York Times that his removal was part of a larger scheme to oust Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for his anti-vaccine stance. Hatfill alleged that Matt Buckham, Kennedy’s chief of staff, was orchestrating this so-called coup, although he did not provide substantial evidence to back up his claims. An HHS spokesperson countered this narrative, stating that firing an employee for valid reasons does not constitute a coup. Bloomberg was the first to report on Hatfill's dismissal. While not a well-known figure in the Trump administration, Hatfill's recent actions have drawn significant attention. He was reportedly instrumental in Kennedy's controversial decision to cancel $500 million in federal grants aimed at developing mRNA vaccines to combat future pandemics. This move faced harsh criticism from the medical and scientific communities, who argue that it undermines the nation's preparedness for potential health crises and allows other countries, like China, to take the lead in scientific innovation. Hatfill has a history of opposition to mRNA vaccine technology. During an appearance on Steve Bannon's show in August, he made unfounded claims that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines induce 'biochemical havoc' within human cells. Rather than promote effective vaccination efforts, he has previously endorsed questionable COVID-19 treatments, such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, throughout the pandemic while serving as a White House advisor during Trump's first term. Moreover, Hatfill's past is marked by a wrongful association with the 2001 anthrax attacks that resulted in five deaths and numerous injuries. Although he had a fellowship at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) from 1997 to 1999, his work focused on viruses rather than bacterial diseases like anthrax. The FBI named him a person of interest in the case in 2002, leading to a lawsuit against the Department of Justice over privacy violations that concluded with a $5.8 million settlement in 2008. Eventually, the FBI shifted focus to Bruce Ivins, another scientist from USAMRIID, who took his own life in 2008 before charges could be brought against him, leaving lingering uncertainty around the case.