Margaret Manto
@margaretmanto.bsky.social
Science & Health Policy Reporter @ notus.org. MIT alum. Email me margaretmanto@notus.org or Signal margaretmanto.61
“I’ve had death threats and wishes of harm on me and my children. I had the FBI call me one week saying that my name and my children’s names had shown up on dark websites.”
I wrote about the challenges facing the MAHA resistance:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
I wrote about the challenges facing the MAHA resistance:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
MAHA’s Gone Viral. Can Science?
Millions of Americans are being fed misinformation on social media that’s been elevated by the Trump administration. A counter movement to RFK Jr. is emerging. Will it stick?
www.notus.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
“I’ve had death threats and wishes of harm on me and my children. I had the FBI call me one week saying that my name and my children’s names had shown up on dark websites.”
I wrote about the challenges facing the MAHA resistance:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
I wrote about the challenges facing the MAHA resistance:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
SCOOP: Mental health workers supporting CDC employees after the August shooting at the agency's headquarters were among those laid off last week.
Read the story here:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
Read the story here:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
‘A Kick in the Mouth’: Trump Administration Makes Staffing Cuts to CDC’s Safety Office Months After Shooting
The cuts were made to an office whose role includes providing mental health support for employees affected by the August shooting at CDC headquarters.
www.notus.org
October 15, 2025 at 12:42 AM
SCOOP: Mental health workers supporting CDC employees after the August shooting at the agency's headquarters were among those laid off last week.
Read the story here:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
Read the story here:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
SCOOP: Here's a breakdown of the 982 RIF'd HHS employees by division, per an HHS guidance that was reviewed by NOTUS:
CDC -- 596 employees
SAMHSA -- 125
HRSA -- 99
OASH -- 55
ACF -- 47
ASPR -- 41
ASA -- 18
ASPA -- 1
Full story w/ @oriana.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
CDC -- 596 employees
SAMHSA -- 125
HRSA -- 99
OASH -- 55
ACF -- 47
ASPR -- 41
ASA -- 18
ASPA -- 1
Full story w/ @oriana.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
Trump Administration Admits It Laid Off Twice as Many HHS Employees as Intended
A new filing in court said the extra layoffs were due to “data discrepancies and processing errors.”
www.notus.org
October 15, 2025 at 12:26 AM
SCOOP: Here's a breakdown of the 982 RIF'd HHS employees by division, per an HHS guidance that was reviewed by NOTUS:
CDC -- 596 employees
SAMHSA -- 125
HRSA -- 99
OASH -- 55
ACF -- 47
ASPR -- 41
ASA -- 18
ASPA -- 1
Full story w/ @oriana.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
CDC -- 596 employees
SAMHSA -- 125
HRSA -- 99
OASH -- 55
ACF -- 47
ASPR -- 41
ASA -- 18
ASPA -- 1
Full story w/ @oriana.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: Only one employee remains in the Office of Population Affairs at HHS, which oversees family planning initiatives run by the federal government.
W/ @annackramer.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
W/ @annackramer.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
HHS Appears to be Cutting Its Entire Family Planning Office
Almost every member of the Office of Population Affairs lost email access and is unable to tell if they were laid off, workers told NOTUS.
www.notus.org
October 14, 2025 at 9:54 PM
NEW: Only one employee remains in the Office of Population Affairs at HHS, which oversees family planning initiatives run by the federal government.
W/ @annackramer.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
W/ @annackramer.bsky.social:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
I went to a weekly MAHA outreach call and all I got was Russell Brand taking a bath:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
'Fluoride Disconnects One from God': Inside the Weekly Call With RFK Jr.'s MAHA Hype Squad
A growing weekly call gives insight into RFK Jr.'s biggest allies, showcasing how a fringe movement now holds legitimate power.
www.notus.org
October 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
I went to a weekly MAHA outreach call and all I got was Russell Brand taking a bath:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: FDA commissioner Marty Makary told agency employees he got them exempted from any shutdown-induced firings
Most FDA staff are already not immediately impacted by appropriated funding lapses thanks to the agency’s user fees.
www.notus.org/trump-white-...
Most FDA staff are already not immediately impacted by appropriated funding lapses thanks to the agency’s user fees.
www.notus.org/trump-white-...
FDA Head Says He Got the Agency 'Exempted' From Possible Shutdown RIFs
In a video sent to FDA employees, Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency was exempted “because we are in the business of public safety.”
www.notus.org
September 29, 2025 at 8:06 PM
NEW: FDA commissioner Marty Makary told agency employees he got them exempted from any shutdown-induced firings
Most FDA staff are already not immediately impacted by appropriated funding lapses thanks to the agency’s user fees.
www.notus.org/trump-white-...
Most FDA staff are already not immediately impacted by appropriated funding lapses thanks to the agency’s user fees.
www.notus.org/trump-white-...
NEWS: CDC Says It’s Coordinating With the WHO, White House on Congo’s Ebola Outbreak
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
CDC Says It’s Coordinating With the WHO, White House on Congo’s Ebola Outbreak
Infectious disease experts have raised concerns about the Trump administration’s preparedness to address the deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa.
www.notus.org
September 22, 2025 at 7:17 PM
NEWS: CDC Says It’s Coordinating With the WHO, White House on Congo’s Ebola Outbreak
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: The U.S.’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo isn’t following the normal playbook, infectious disease leaders say.
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
The Trump Administration’s Response to Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Isn’t Normal, Infectious Disease Leaders Say
Funding uncertainty and staffing concerns at the White House and CDC are raising alarms for biosecurity experts.
www.notus.org
September 19, 2025 at 12:49 PM
NEW: The U.S.’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo isn’t following the normal playbook, infectious disease leaders say.
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: The U.S.’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo isn’t following the normal playbook, infectious disease leaders say.
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
The Trump Administration’s Response to Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Isn’t Normal, Infectious Disease Leaders Say
Funding uncertainty and staffing concerns at the White House and CDC are raising alarms for biosecurity experts.
www.notus.org
September 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
NEW: The U.S.’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo isn’t following the normal playbook, infectious disease leaders say.
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
“We need to be very clear-eyed that the ability to control this and contain it regionally is diminished,” one said.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
REPORTING REQUEST: If your pediatrician is not offering the covid vax because of policy changes, or you work for a practice that's decided not to offer it, reach out to me at 434 305 7310 (text/call/Signal) or margaretmanto@notus.org. I can keep your identity private.
September 16, 2025 at 5:39 PM
REPORTING REQUEST: If your pediatrician is not offering the covid vax because of policy changes, or you work for a practice that's decided not to offer it, reach out to me at 434 305 7310 (text/call/Signal) or margaretmanto@notus.org. I can keep your identity private.
NEW: RFK Jr. touted an AI biosurveillance program that doesn’t yet exist in his WSJ op-ed last week www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. Touted a CDC Biosurveillance Program That Doesn’t Appear to Exist Yet
What the administration has said about the program, however, is giving biosecurity experts some pause.
www.notus.org
September 8, 2025 at 11:50 AM
NEW: RFK Jr. touted an AI biosurveillance program that doesn’t yet exist in his WSJ op-ed last week www.notus.org/health-scien...
Republican Senators cornered RFK Jr. this morning on his support for Operation Warp Speed, the first Trump administration's COVID-19 vaccine development project. www.notus.org/health-scien...
Sen. Bill Cassidy Tried to Box RFK Jr. In on Vaccines
“I believe that President Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed,” Cassidy told Kennedy, praising the development of the mRNA vaccine.
www.notus.org
September 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Republican Senators cornered RFK Jr. this morning on his support for Operation Warp Speed, the first Trump administration's COVID-19 vaccine development project. www.notus.org/health-scien...
Three CDC officials have resigned since director Susan Monarez’s dismissal, which she is contesting: www.notus.org/health-scien...
Top CDC Officials Resigned After the Trump Administration Said It Fired Susan Monarez
“For the good of the nation and the world, the science at CDC should never be censored or subject to political pauses or interpretations,” Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer, wrote in her re...
www.notus.org
August 27, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Three CDC officials have resigned since director Susan Monarez’s dismissal, which she is contesting: www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. says he has identified the "interventions" behind rising autism rates and will "address them" next month: www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. Says He’s Identified the Cause of Rising Autism Rates. He Didn’t Say What It Is.
“I think we maybe know the reason, and I look forward to that press conference,” said President Trump.
www.notus.org
August 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
RFK Jr. says he has identified the "interventions" behind rising autism rates and will "address them" next month: www.notus.org/health-scien...
“I was thinking they would have at least enhanced security going into campus,” one CDC employee told NOTUS.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
‘We Trudge On’: CDC Employees Return to Work With Bullet Holes Still in the Windows
“I was thinking they would have at least enhanced security going into campus,” one CDC employee told NOTUS.
www.notus.org
August 20, 2025 at 12:46 PM
“I was thinking they would have at least enhanced security going into campus,” one CDC employee told NOTUS.
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
HHS announces childhood vaccine safety task force, as requested by anti-vaccine groups: www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org
August 14, 2025 at 8:27 PM
HHS announces childhood vaccine safety task force, as requested by anti-vaccine groups: www.notus.org/health-scien...
"We think there’s lots of positive things coming, but we haven’t seen a whole lot."
The tension between MAHA and USDA has been front and center at this week's "Great American Farmers Market":
www.notus.org/health-scien...
The tension between MAHA and USDA has been front and center at this week's "Great American Farmers Market":
www.notus.org/health-scien...
MAHA-Minded Farmers Are Giving RFK Jr. the Benefit of the Doubt
Amid USDA cuts and Kennedy’s reversal on a pesticides ban, farmers said they’re giving the administration time.
www.notus.org
August 5, 2025 at 6:35 PM
"We think there’s lots of positive things coming, but we haven’t seen a whole lot."
The tension between MAHA and USDA has been front and center at this week's "Great American Farmers Market":
www.notus.org/health-scien...
The tension between MAHA and USDA has been front and center at this week's "Great American Farmers Market":
www.notus.org/health-scien...
“I love and loved my job, we did good work with some of the smartest people, and they’re being routinely disrespected and lied to."
Inside the FDA's AI push, w/ @taylorgiorno_ www.notus.org/health-scien...
Inside the FDA's AI push, w/ @taylorgiorno_ www.notus.org/health-scien...
‘They Have To Figure Out If They Can Trust The Software’: Inside the FDA’s AI Push
The AI rollout at the FDA has been rocky. But even critics are optimistic.
www.notus.org
July 29, 2025 at 2:02 PM
“I love and loved my job, we did good work with some of the smartest people, and they’re being routinely disrespected and lied to."
Inside the FDA's AI push, w/ @taylorgiorno_ www.notus.org/health-scien...
Inside the FDA's AI push, w/ @taylorgiorno_ www.notus.org/health-scien...
The new CDER director George Tidmarsh isn't enthusiastic about ingestible fluoride supplements:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org
July 23, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The new CDER director George Tidmarsh isn't enthusiastic about ingestible fluoride supplements:
www.notus.org/health-scien...
www.notus.org/health-scien...
Restorative reproductive medicine's relationship to the MAHA movement is like a "Venn diagram," according to one practitioner. Can RRM get the MAHA boost without getting turned into the anti-IVF scapegoat? www.notus.org/health-scien...
Reproductive Health Advocates Want to Ride the MAHA Wave — Without Drowning
Restorative reproductive medicine is having a moment with RFK Jr. in power. Anti-IVF conservatives want it to be their moment, too.
www.notus.org
July 14, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Restorative reproductive medicine's relationship to the MAHA movement is like a "Venn diagram," according to one practitioner. Can RRM get the MAHA boost without getting turned into the anti-IVF scapegoat? www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: HHS quietly announced its intention to fund the development of vaccines against two viruses it considers “material threats to national health security.” www.notus.org/health-scien...
HHS Is Quietly Looking for Two New Vaccines
“It’s almost notable in that it’s not remarkable at all,” a former infectious disease official said of the new notice.
www.notus.org
July 8, 2025 at 12:09 PM
NEW: HHS quietly announced its intention to fund the development of vaccines against two viruses it considers “material threats to national health security.” www.notus.org/health-scien...
NEW: “The rhetoric is quite different, but it doesn’t seem like the reality is obviously different."
RFK Jr. promised to end the "corporate capture" of the health agencies. But lobbyists and experts said for the most part, it's still business as usual. www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. promised to end the "corporate capture" of the health agencies. But lobbyists and experts said for the most part, it's still business as usual. www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr.’s Planned Assault on Corporate Influence Is Clashing With Reality
“I haven’t noticed anything different at all,” one lobbyist said. “I don’t know anybody who’s had a problem getting a meeting.”
www.notus.org
June 26, 2025 at 12:51 PM
NEW: “The rhetoric is quite different, but it doesn’t seem like the reality is obviously different."
RFK Jr. promised to end the "corporate capture" of the health agencies. But lobbyists and experts said for the most part, it's still business as usual. www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. promised to end the "corporate capture" of the health agencies. But lobbyists and experts said for the most part, it's still business as usual. www.notus.org/health-scien...
New: In his first acknowledgement of the MAHA report's citation issues, RFK Jr. called the fabricated citations "a mistake" but insisted that all of the report's "foundational assertions" were accurate. www.notus.org/health-scien...
RFK Jr. Calls Fake MAHA Report Citations a ‘Mistake’
Kennedy said the “foundational assertions” in the report were accurate, despite several instances of fabricated and misinterpreted citations.
www.notus.org
June 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
New: In his first acknowledgement of the MAHA report's citation issues, RFK Jr. called the fabricated citations "a mistake" but insisted that all of the report's "foundational assertions" were accurate. www.notus.org/health-scien...
Exclusive: Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for an investigation into RFK Jr.'s vaccine committee firings: www.notus.org/health-scien...
Sen. Bernie Sanders Wants an Investigation of RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Firings
Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate Health Committee, made the request of Sen. Bill Cassidy, the committee chair, in a letter obtained by NOTUS.
www.notus.org
June 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Exclusive: Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for an investigation into RFK Jr.'s vaccine committee firings: www.notus.org/health-scien...