“White House officials have soured on HHS Secretary Alex Azar, a deepening quarrel that threatens to derail President Donald Trump’s health care agenda as he gears up for his 2020 reelection campaign.”
“The divide has led to stalled projects, disputes over Medicaid and fetal tissue research, duplicated work on Trump’s drug pricing priorities — and bitter personal attacks, say a dozen current and former White House and HHS officials as well as multiple other people familiar with the conversations…”
“Azar has spent months battling White House domestic policy chief Joe Grogan, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and other officials over proposals targeting high drug prices, Medicaid and Obamacare, individuals inside and outside the administration said. But Azar has been repeatedly overruled, including on Trump’s decision to reverse a Justice Department stance in a high-profile Texas lawsuit and urge courts to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act…”
“Azar is not expected to leave HHS before the 2020 election, according to four individuals. He announced an agency-wide leadership reorganization on Monday that strengthened his lieutenants.” Read the full article here.
Source: ’They’re all fighting him’: Trump aides spar with health secretary. By Dan Diamond, Anita Kumar, Rachana Pradhan and Adam Cancryn – June 18, 2019. POLITICO.
