Mr. Caputo, in his Fb video, additionally mentioned his psychological well being was failing, he was below siege by the media and he may find yours
Mr. Caputo, in his Fb video, additionally mentioned his psychological well being was failing, he was below siege by the media and he may find yourself being killed due to his authorities function. He defended Dr. Alexander as “a genius,” saying the general public criticism of his aide’s actions had solely served to solidify his function on the well being division.
“They won’t transfer me,” he mentioned. “I’m not going wherever. You realize why? As a result of the president of the USA helps me. And what I’m doing is nice for you and good for your loved ones.”
Kayleigh McEnany, the White Home press secretary, dodged a reporter’s query Wednesday about whether or not the administration would welcome Mr. Caputo again after his depart ends about two weeks after the November election. “I’m not going to weigh into any personnel issues,” she mentioned.
A number of high-ranking Democrats this week known as for Mr. Caputo’s firing, together with Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the rating Democrat on the Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Consultant Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, who leads a subcommittee that controls funding of well being applications.
Ryan Murphy, a communications official on the Well being and Human Providers Division, will fill in for Mr. Caputo, the company mentioned. Mr. Murphy held the place earlier than the White Home dispatched Mr. Caputo to the division in an effort to extra rigorously monitor and form what its officers informed the media.
Mr. Caputo’s affect was underscored on Wednesday by Dr. Redfield, who informed a Senate appropriations subcommittee that the White Home Workplace of Administration and Price range and the well being division had ordered him to switch $300 million from his company’s funds to the division. Of that, $250 million was to be spent on a public-relations marketing campaign directed by Mr. Caputo, a senior well being division official mentioned.
Dr. Redfield mentioned the that the C.D.C. had not been consulted on the substance of this system. “I might assume that they’d need our instruction to do all of that, however we haven’t been concerned on this,” he mentioned.