Vinay Prasad, a top official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), almost lost his job after a push from far-right activist Laura Loomer, but thanks to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, his position was saved.
Prasad, a hematologist and one of Robert F. Kennedy’s key allies in his effort to reform U.S. vaccine and drug regulations, was initially pushed out on July 29, following a campaign by Loomer and former GOP Senator Rick Santorum, who criticized his past comments. Loomer, who has become notorious for her rigorous vetting of Trump administration officials, was particularly vocal about Prasad’s social media history, which included harsh criticisms of Trump and MAGA voters.
But just when it seemed like Prasad was out, Wiles stepped in. Sources told Politico that Wiles personally appealed to Trump to overlook Prasad’s previous posts, urging him to bring the scientist back on board. Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who had hand-picked Prasad, also worked tirelessly to make the case for his reinstatement. “After Vinay left, Marty and Bobby worked very, very, very hard through Susie Wiles to tell the president that Vinay was not anti-Trump,” an administration insider shared.
Prasad’s return to the FDA marks a significant victory for Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition, signaling that Trump still supports his efforts to challenge the status quo of U.S. health policy. But Loomer isn’t backing down.
After the reinstatement, Loomer, known for her aggressive vetting tactics, expressed her outrage. “Vinay Prasad is not only a Democrat donor, but he’s also a Trump hater, and he is a Marxist who said Trump is ‘the worse person in the world,’” she posted on X, adding, “Just more evidence of a broken vetting system with no standards.”
Loomer had previously unearthed old posts from Prasad, dating back to his time as a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, where he expressed support for former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. In one post, Prasad stated that he wanted “Biden to win more than anything,” and a year later, referred to himself as a “Sanders/Warren liberal,” referring to progressive senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Loomer was furious that someone with those views had made his way into Trump’s administration.
“Prasad’s views are a slap in the face to the conservative values of limited government, deregulation, and economic freedom that YOU voted for!” Loomer ranted in July. “Vinay Prasad is a Trojan horse in Trump’s FDA. It’s my recommendation that he be FIRED from the Trump admin.”
The White House has since defended the efforts of Kennedy’s team, with spokesperson Kush Desai praising the work being done to “Make America Healthy Again.” “Scores of prominent restaurant chains and food brands dropping artificial ingredients from our food supply and historic reforms at the FDA to fast-track lifesaving drugs and treatments prove that the entire HHS team is delivering for the American people,” Desai said.
But Loomer isn’t stopping. Now, she’s targeting other officials close to Kennedy, including Stefanie Spear, Kennedy’s deputy chief of staff, and Casey Means, whom Trump nominated for Surgeon General. Loomer has hinted at more exposés coming soon, especially ahead of several Senate Confirmation hearings. “In the coming weeks, I will be ramping up my exposés of officials within HHS and FDA,” Loomer announced on X. “Should be a good time.”
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