The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy is currently listed as having a single employee, Sara Brenner, who has publicly questioned aspects of COVID-19 vaccines and identifies with the Make America Healthy Again movement. Rachel Idowu will serve as director of bioresponse at the National Security Council and will share pandemic responsibilities, but officials say two people cannot replace a full OPPR staff. Observers worry the short-handed office could undermine preparedness as an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo worsens.
Pandemic Preparedness Office Reduced to One Staffer — Vaccine Skeptic Now Sole Employee
You Won’t Believe How Big Trump’s Pandemic Preparedness Team Is
The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR) is currently staffed by a single listed employee: Sara Brenner, who has publicly expressed skepticism about vaccines and describes herself as a "MAHA mom." The dramatically reduced staffing has raised concerns among public-health experts and former officials about the government’s ability to coordinate responses to emerging disease threats.
Background and Appointment
Brenner joined the Food and Drug Administration in 2019 as a midlevel scientist and was promoted to deputy commissioner following President Trump’s 2025 inauguration. In July she was assigned to the OPPR amid growing worries about global outbreaks. Brenner has aligned herself with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and has publicly questioned aspects of COVID-19 vaccine safety and rollout.
Controversial Statements and Actions
According to reporting, Brenner said at a MAHA event that she declined the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant because she was concerned about the vaccine's "biodistribution patterns." In May 2025 she co-authored a memo arguing there was "no clear evidence" that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines for people under 18 outweighed the risks — a conclusion critics say conflicts with a substantial body of research. In March 2025 she reportedly intervened in the FDA review of Novavax’s COVID vaccine.
Staffing And Response Capacity
Rachel Idowu has been appointed director of bioresponse on the National Security Council and will share responsibility for coordinating pandemic response efforts with OPPR. Supporters say Idowu and Brenner are experienced, but former advisers and health officials warn that two people cannot substitute for a full, multidisciplinary team.
"That is a start, but it is not nearly enough," a former White House official said. "You can't run an Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy as an army of one."
Byron Cohen, a former OPPR adviser, echoed that concern: "Those two individuals only have so much time in the day, and they deserve a full staff to help them carry out their mission." Critics say the thin staffing is especially worrying as an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo intensifies.
Why It Matters
Public-health preparedness depends on sustained staffing, cross-agency coordination, and scientific expertise. Observers warn that an understaffed OPPR could hamper readiness and slow the federal response to future outbreaks, leaving the United States more vulnerable to rapidly evolving disease threats.
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