• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
HHS Official Accuses Government Scientists of ‘Sedition’ and Plotting Against Trump

HHS Official Taking a Leave of Absence After Making Incendiary Comments

September 16, 2020
Harvard’s Battle With Trump Admin May Break It

Harvard’s Battle With Trump Admin May Break It

July 3, 2025
Scott Bessent Reveals Where Treasury’s Hammer Will Be Dropping Next

Scott Bessent Reveals Where Treasury’s Hammer Will Be Dropping Next

July 3, 2025
Sentencing Law Backed By Dems, Activists Led To Explosion Of Repeat Offenders, AG Says

Sentencing Law Backed By Dems, Activists Led To Explosion Of Repeat Offenders, AG Says

July 3, 2025
Congress Passes ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ in Major Win for Trump

Congress Passes ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ in Major Win for Trump

July 3, 2025
‘Define Wins’: Dem Rep Spins Trump’s Victories After CNN Host Lists Off His Accomplishments

‘Define Wins’: Dem Rep Spins Trump’s Victories After CNN Host Lists Off His Accomplishments

July 3, 2025
Melania Trump Visits with Patients at Washington Children’s Hospital

Melania Trump Visits with Patients at Washington Children’s Hospital

July 3, 2025
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Warns ‘Thousands Will Die’ If Trump’s Bill Passes

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Warns ‘Thousands Will Die’ If Trump’s Bill Passes

July 3, 2025
Media’s Trump Tariff Inflation Fear Mongering Turns Out To Be Total Dud

Media’s Trump Tariff Inflation Fear Mongering Turns Out To Be Total Dud

July 3, 2025
Supreme Court Declines to Revive Law Requiring Parental Consent for Underage Abortions

Supreme Court Declines to Revive Law Requiring Parental Consent for Underage Abortions

July 3, 2025
Trump Admin to Ask Supreme Court to Back Firing of Government Watchdog

Supreme Court to Decide on Transgender School Athletes Bans

July 3, 2025
Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Using Starvation to Commit Genocide

Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Using Starvation to Commit Genocide

July 3, 2025
‘Held Out As Long As We Could’: How House Some Conservatives Got To ‘Yes’ On Trump’s Megabill

‘Held Out As Long As We Could’: How House Some Conservatives Got To ‘Yes’ On Trump’s Megabill

July 3, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Thursday, July 3, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home IJR

HHS Official Taking a Leave of Absence After Making Incendiary Comments

by Bradley Cortright
September 16, 2020 at 2:47 pm
in IJR
245 7
2
HHS Official Accuses Government Scientists of ‘Sedition’ and Plotting Against Trump

FILE PHOTO: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael Caputo listens while wearing a protective face mask as U.S. President Donald Trump holds an event about administration efforts to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Days after accusing government scientists of engaging in sedition, Michael Caputo, the top communications official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is taking a leave of absence. 

In a statement obtained by The Hill, the department said Caputo would take a leave from his position for 60 days to focus on “his health and the well-being of his family.”

Caputo, who was appointed to the position in April, has been facing backlash for comments he made in a Facebook Live video he filmed on Sept. 13, as IJR reported.

In that video, Caputo ripped into government scientists and claimed that they “do not want America to get well” from COVID-19 until “Joe Biden is president.”

He also claimed without evidence that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a “resistance unit” designed to undermine President Donald Trump. 

Trump has also previously alleged on Twitter that “deep state” employees were intentionally slow-walking the development of a coronavirus vaccine.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1297138862108663808

However, Caputo’s video included even wilder suggestions as he claimed there are “hit squads being trained all over this country.” He also said that the shooting of a Trump supporter in Portland, Oregon, last month was “just a drill.”

The New York Times first reported on Caputo’s video, and HHS gave the paper a statement that said he is “a critical, integral part of the president’s coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Caputo also told the Times that since he joined HHS, his family has “been continually threatened.”

On Tuesday, Politico reported that Caputo called an emergency staff meeting where he apologized for his comments and said he felt that the reflected poorly on the department. 

During the meeting, he blamed his comments on physical health issues and stress following death threats his family has received.

The outlet noted that HHS employees who were at the meeting believed Caputo might leave his position.

Tags: Coronavirus OutbreakDepartment of Health and Human Services
Share196Tweet123
Bradley Cortright

Bradley Cortright

IJR, Senior Writer He's written for Independent Journal Review since 2019.

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th