HHS Secretary Alex Azar has gone from the face of President Donald Trump's virus team to a supporting character.
There will be a notable omission when Vice President Mike Pence visits Seattle Thursday as part of the Trump administration's coronavirus response: health secretary Alex Azar.
Azar's absence didn't go unnoticed by allies worried about his standing in the administration and the way he's catching more flak for missteps. Azar was front and center Thursday at a Capitol Hill briefing with House members, during which he took heat from some lawmakers over transparency and whether his department is adequately prepared for the stealthy disease.
Pence asked Azar not to attend Wednesday's press conference, said one individual with knowledge of events. Azar supports efforts to rotate the speakers at task force press conferences and always pushes for medical professionals to play leading roles, said an individual familiar with the secretary's thinking. Azar has also praised Pence for his leadership of the task force.
Azar's allies have struggled to rally support for him in the face of sustained criticism for delays rolling out coronavirus lab tests. They've portrayed Azar as poorly served by officials like CDC Director Robert Redfield, whose agency has repeatedly stumbled as the global outbreak has worsened. Azar moved this week to stabilize his department's response by tapping Robert Kadlec, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, to run efforts.
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