Dr. Stephanie Psaki
@spsaki.bsky.social
Former U.S. Coordinator for Global Health Security at the White House. Opinions mine, but based on science.
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
"Advances have made it possible to detect, treat, and stop the pathogens most likely to sweep across continents and cause widespread death," Senior Fellow @spsaki.bsky.social writes in @vox.com. "The question now is not whether we can prevent the next pandemic, but whether we will."
Pandemics are a choice
The end of pandemics is within reach. Why aren't we acting like it?
www.vox.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:32 PM
"Advances have made it possible to detect, treat, and stop the pathogens most likely to sweep across continents and cause widespread death," Senior Fellow @spsaki.bsky.social writes in @vox.com. "The question now is not whether we can prevent the next pandemic, but whether we will."
The birth rate is dropping in the U.S. because Americans can’t afford to have families. Pushing women out of the workforce will only make that worse.
New piece in TIME:
time.com/7328698/wome...
New piece in TIME:
time.com/7328698/wome...
The Real Way to Boost Birth Rates
Politicians need to make parenting more affordable and more compatible with working life, writes Stephanie Psaki.
time.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The birth rate is dropping in the U.S. because Americans can’t afford to have families. Pushing women out of the workforce will only make that worse.
New piece in TIME:
time.com/7328698/wome...
New piece in TIME:
time.com/7328698/wome...
Pay attention! They are testing health policies internationally before imposing them in the U.S.
They falsely say that contraceptives cause abortion to justify destroying them.
They are coming for contraception in the U.S. next (actually, already).
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
They falsely say that contraceptives cause abortion to justify destroying them.
They are coming for contraception in the U.S. next (actually, already).
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
$10 Million in Contraceptives Have Been Destroyed on Orders From Trump Officials
www.nytimes.com
September 12, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Pay attention! They are testing health policies internationally before imposing them in the U.S.
They falsely say that contraceptives cause abortion to justify destroying them.
They are coming for contraception in the U.S. next (actually, already).
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
They falsely say that contraceptives cause abortion to justify destroying them.
They are coming for contraception in the U.S. next (actually, already).
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
A suspected Ebola outbreak is occurring in DRC. This is bad at any time! But it’s particularly worrisome now when US capacity to detect and respond to deadly biothreats has been purposefully dismantled.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
September 3, 2025 at 10:54 PM
A suspected Ebola outbreak is occurring in DRC. This is bad at any time! But it’s particularly worrisome now when US capacity to detect and respond to deadly biothreats has been purposefully dismantled.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
“Pro-family” policy requires freedom, support, and respect for people’s choices.
These are not radical ideas. They’re deeply American ones.
New piece in Time with Jess Marcella:
time.com/7310023/real...
These are not radical ideas. They’re deeply American ones.
New piece in Time with Jess Marcella:
time.com/7310023/real...
Here’s What Real Pro-Family Policy Looks Like
We need to stop treating 'pro-family' as a culture war slogan and start treating Americans with freedom and respect.
time.com
August 18, 2025 at 4:48 PM
“Pro-family” policy requires freedom, support, and respect for people’s choices.
These are not radical ideas. They’re deeply American ones.
New piece in Time with Jess Marcella:
time.com/7310023/real...
These are not radical ideas. They’re deeply American ones.
New piece in Time with Jess Marcella:
time.com/7310023/real...
In the last 6 months this administration has dismantled a system built over decades to keep Americans safe from biological threats.
@bethcameron-dc.bsky.social, Jon Finer and I describe what it takes to keep these threats out:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
@bethcameron-dc.bsky.social, Jon Finer and I describe what it takes to keep these threats out:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
No One in the White House Knows How to Stop Ebola
We had a playbook for handling biothreats. Then Trump pushed out the people who knew how to use it.
www.theatlantic.com
August 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
In the last 6 months this administration has dismantled a system built over decades to keep Americans safe from biological threats.
@bethcameron-dc.bsky.social, Jon Finer and I describe what it takes to keep these threats out:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
@bethcameron-dc.bsky.social, Jon Finer and I describe what it takes to keep these threats out:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
Hundreds of thousands of doses of mpox vaccine that the United States had promised to send to African nations are in danger of going to waste, dozens of congressional Democrats said in a letter to the U.S. State Department on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of US taxpayer-funded vaccine doses may expire, lawmakers say
Hundreds of thousands of doses of mpox vaccine that the United States had promised to send to African nations are in danger of going to waste, dozens of congressional Democrats said in a letter to the U.S. State Department.
www.reuters.com
July 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Hundreds of thousands of doses of mpox vaccine that the United States had promised to send to African nations are in danger of going to waste, dozens of congressional Democrats said in a letter to the U.S. State Department on Wednesday.
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
July 1, 2025 at 2:23 PM
STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
They’re forming a CDC workgroup to decide which line on this graph looks better and their answer may surprise you
June 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
They’re forming a CDC workgroup to decide which line on this graph looks better and their answer may surprise you
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
This is a travesty & a nightmare. The US was a founder of @gavi.org. It lowers global vaccine costs, has vaccinated 1B children, & averted 19M deaths. This pull out will cost 100s of thousands of children's lives a year - and RFK Jr will be personally responsible.
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
RFK Jr. says US won’t donate to global vaccine effort
Kennedy ripped into Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in a video address at its pledging summit.
www.politico.com
June 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
This is a travesty & a nightmare. The US was a founder of @gavi.org. It lowers global vaccine costs, has vaccinated 1B children, & averted 19M deaths. This pull out will cost 100s of thousands of children's lives a year - and RFK Jr will be personally responsible.
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
Gavi works in close partnership (operationally and financially) with governments around the world to distribute life-saving vaccines to children. Their work has saved nearly 20 million lives since 2000.
Kennedy is either misinformed or lying, but either way children will die as a result.
Kennedy is either misinformed or lying, but either way children will die as a result.
Kennedy Withdraws Funding Pledge to International Vaccine Agency
www.nytimes.com
June 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Gavi works in close partnership (operationally and financially) with governments around the world to distribute life-saving vaccines to children. Their work has saved nearly 20 million lives since 2000.
Kennedy is either misinformed or lying, but either way children will die as a result.
Kennedy is either misinformed or lying, but either way children will die as a result.
We don’t close military bases in unstable regions and hope for the best—we maintain forward deployment to prevent emergencies. The same logic applies to public health.
New piece in @justsecurity.org about cuts to CDC’s presence around the world, with @nikkiromanik.bsky.social
New piece in @justsecurity.org about cuts to CDC’s presence around the world, with @nikkiromanik.bsky.social
Dismantling CDC’s global presence risks eliminating a key layer of U.S. biodefense, write Drs. @spsaki.bsky.social and @nikkiromanik.bsky.social. One that is designed to detect and contain outbreaks before they reach U.S. shores.
www.justsecurity.org/114532/disma...
www.justsecurity.org/114532/disma...
Dismantling CDC’s Global Work is Dismantling Our First Line of Biodefense
As the Trump administration plans to weaken the CDC, Americans and the world will become more vulnerable to biological threats.
www.justsecurity.org
June 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
We don’t close military bases in unstable regions and hope for the best—we maintain forward deployment to prevent emergencies. The same logic applies to public health.
New piece in @justsecurity.org about cuts to CDC’s presence around the world, with @nikkiromanik.bsky.social
New piece in @justsecurity.org about cuts to CDC’s presence around the world, with @nikkiromanik.bsky.social
Foreign aid can save lives and ALSO advance U.S. interests in the world. Its not an either/or.
I argued in @thinkglobalhealth.org that foreign aid builds soft power when it is:
✅ Visible
✅ Altruistic
✅ Effective
✅ Aligned with country priorities
I argued in @thinkglobalhealth.org that foreign aid builds soft power when it is:
✅ Visible
✅ Altruistic
✅ Effective
✅ Aligned with country priorities
U.S. Soft Power: Next Steps After the Foreign Aid Withdrawal | Think Global Health
A former White House official on the future of advancing strategic interests while saving lives and growing economies
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
June 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Foreign aid can save lives and ALSO advance U.S. interests in the world. Its not an either/or.
I argued in @thinkglobalhealth.org that foreign aid builds soft power when it is:
✅ Visible
✅ Altruistic
✅ Effective
✅ Aligned with country priorities
I argued in @thinkglobalhealth.org that foreign aid builds soft power when it is:
✅ Visible
✅ Altruistic
✅ Effective
✅ Aligned with country priorities
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
There is a new pandemic treaty that'll get ratified at World Health Assembly next week
Its meant to fix lethal gaps we saw during COVID in getting vaccines to poor countries
Unfortunately, as @spsaki.bsky.social and I lay out in @statnews.com, it probably won't do much
But there is a better way
Its meant to fix lethal gaps we saw during COVID in getting vaccines to poor countries
Unfortunately, as @spsaki.bsky.social and I lay out in @statnews.com, it probably won't do much
But there is a better way
May 16, 2025 at 2:11 PM
There is a new pandemic treaty that'll get ratified at World Health Assembly next week
Its meant to fix lethal gaps we saw during COVID in getting vaccines to poor countries
Unfortunately, as @spsaki.bsky.social and I lay out in @statnews.com, it probably won't do much
But there is a better way
Its meant to fix lethal gaps we saw during COVID in getting vaccines to poor countries
Unfortunately, as @spsaki.bsky.social and I lay out in @statnews.com, it probably won't do much
But there is a better way
New piece I wrote with @bethcameron-dc.bsky.social in @justsecurity.org on how the HHS cuts make Americans less safe (and less healthy).
We lay out some signs that tell us whether the U.S. is prepared for biological threats from all sources. (Hint: It doesn’t look good)
We lay out some signs that tell us whether the U.S. is prepared for biological threats from all sources. (Hint: It doesn’t look good)
Dropping U.S. Biodefenses: Why Cuts to Federal Health Agencies Make Americans Less Safe
The Trump administration's sweeping changes to the Department of Health and Human Services will make the United States highly insecure, not healthy.
www.justsecurity.org
April 3, 2025 at 1:15 PM
New piece I wrote with @bethcameron-dc.bsky.social in @justsecurity.org on how the HHS cuts make Americans less safe (and less healthy).
We lay out some signs that tell us whether the U.S. is prepared for biological threats from all sources. (Hint: It doesn’t look good)
We lay out some signs that tell us whether the U.S. is prepared for biological threats from all sources. (Hint: It doesn’t look good)
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
On The Daily Blast, @gregsargent.bsky.social talked to @spsaki.bsky.social. She explains what we want from public officials at moments like these—and why the anti-vax views of RFK and the cavalier approach to public health add up to a picture that’s “terrifying.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Daily Blast: “Terrifying”: Trump’s Ominous Moment with RFK on First Measles Death
Podcast Episode · The DSR Network · 02/27/2025 · 25m
podcasts.apple.com
February 27, 2025 at 8:47 PM
On The Daily Blast, @gregsargent.bsky.social talked to @spsaki.bsky.social. She explains what we want from public officials at moments like these—and why the anti-vax views of RFK and the cavalier approach to public health add up to a picture that’s “terrifying.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
Join us Friday for, The cost of defunding #PEPFAR and the impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS, moderated by @wilmotjames.bsky.social w/ panelist Glenda Gray, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg & @spsaki.bsky.social, @brownpublichealth.bsky.social
Register ⤵️
brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register ⤵️
brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
February 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Join us Friday for, The cost of defunding #PEPFAR and the impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS, moderated by @wilmotjames.bsky.social w/ panelist Glenda Gray, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg & @spsaki.bsky.social, @brownpublichealth.bsky.social
Register ⤵️
brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register ⤵️
brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
"For authoritarian leaders worldwide, the agency’s dismantling represents a potential retreat of American democratic influence."
It is stunning to see this administration undermine U.S. interests around the world so swiftly and - possibly - irreversibly.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
It is stunning to see this administration undermine U.S. interests around the world so swiftly and - possibly - irreversibly.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Authoritarian regimes around the world cheer on dismantling of USAid
Elon Musk-led razing of US foreign aid agency led strong-arm rulers in Hungary, Belarus and elsewhere to celebrate
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2025 at 4:27 PM
"For authoritarian leaders worldwide, the agency’s dismantling represents a potential retreat of American democratic influence."
It is stunning to see this administration undermine U.S. interests around the world so swiftly and - possibly - irreversibly.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
It is stunning to see this administration undermine U.S. interests around the world so swiftly and - possibly - irreversibly.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
Abolishing USAID Would Contravene U.S. law, the U.S. constitution, and would harm response to current and future outbreaks... A thread.
February 3, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Abolishing USAID Would Contravene U.S. law, the U.S. constitution, and would harm response to current and future outbreaks... A thread.
Reposted by Dr. Stephanie Psaki
NEW: Two top security officials at USAID were put on admin leave Saturday night after refusing to allow officials from Musk’s DOGE to access systems at the agency, even after DOGE personnel threatened to call law enforcement, multiple sources familiar told CNN www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/p...
Senior USAID security officials put on leave after refusing Musk’s DOGE access to agency systems | CNN Politics
Two top security officials at the US Agency for International Development were put on administrative leave Saturday night after refusing to allow officials from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Ef...
www.cnn.com
February 2, 2025 at 4:54 PM
NEW: Two top security officials at USAID were put on admin leave Saturday night after refusing to allow officials from Musk’s DOGE to access systems at the agency, even after DOGE personnel threatened to call law enforcement, multiple sources familiar told CNN www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/p...
Given reports of a new Ebola outbreak in DRC, it's definitely time to run the playbook we left behind. The early days in a response will make the difference between a quickly contained Ebola outbreak, or an extended outbreak with spread across borders, loss of life, and billions of $ to contain.
We left behind a playbook for outbreaks and other biological threats, and public servants are there who know how to use it.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.
Who is protecting Americans from Marburg right now?
The WHO and the CDC coordinated well when faced with viral outbreaks. This is no time to demolish a well-oiled machine.
www.statnews.com
January 28, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Given reports of a new Ebola outbreak in DRC, it's definitely time to run the playbook we left behind. The early days in a response will make the difference between a quickly contained Ebola outbreak, or an extended outbreak with spread across borders, loss of life, and billions of $ to contain.
We left behind a playbook for outbreaks and other biological threats, and public servants are there who know how to use it.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.
Who is protecting Americans from Marburg right now?
The WHO and the CDC coordinated well when faced with viral outbreaks. This is no time to demolish a well-oiled machine.
www.statnews.com
January 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
We left behind a playbook for outbreaks and other biological threats, and public servants are there who know how to use it.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.
The new administration should let them protect Americans from this threat.