Tony's Diary Package — page 31

from India and (soon). He is obviously confusing the initiation of a phase 1 trial and having a vaccine ready. PRESS: WTOP Radio; CBS Radio (NYC); FOX with Bret Baier; CNN Situation Room with Wolf Bitzer; CNN International; CNN with Chris Cuomo; MSNBC; BBC Radio x2 Feb.26, 2020 - 81,187/2768. Should be a big day with the POTUS back from India and going to give a press conference this afternoon. Big day today! POTUS returned from India and wanted to clear up the issue of Nancy Messonnier's statement that sent the Stock Market crashing. The Task force, particularly Azar, me, Redfield, added Anne Schuchat, Mick M. met with Trump in the Oval Office and updated him on coronavirus situation. (Of note, we have 1st case of community acquired COVID-19 in a woman from Solano County, CA who had no epidemiologic link to anyone weith COVID-19. This could be the beginning of something bad) After we briefed POTUS in the White House, we went into the Cabinet Room and the other members of the Task Force briefed the POTUS a bit more. Then we went into the White House press Room which was more packed than I had ever seen it. People standing on chairs in the isles. POTUS made comments, then Azar, then Anne, then me on vaccines and therapy. The POTUS stayed for a long time (45 minutes) answering questions. He called Nancy Pelosi "Incompetent" in answer to a question For the most part he was OK, but tended a little bit to underplay the situation. After that we went back to the Oval Office with the POTUS to do a "post-mortem" on the press conference. Everyone felt good about the presser. There was much speculation that the POTUS would either get rid of AZAR or appoint a Czar. The press was geared for that. However, POTUS asked VP Pence to do overall coordination of the coronavirus effort. Clearly this was a compromise to not make Azar look bad since he is friends with Pence and at the same time silence/satisfy those who want a Czar and/or to get rid of Azar. Another interesting twist was that they announced that Debbie Birx would be the new "coronavirus coordinator" in the NSC. Apparently, she may have been fired from PEPFAR where there was considerable discontent about her leadership style (very dogmatic and inflexible) Finally, we all adjourned to VP Pence's office to discuss his new role in coordinating coronavirus activities. White House had us cancel all press briefing commitments since they wanted all the news to be the POTUS. This led to the impression that I was being "muzzled" and led to a real twitter forestorm