We’ve known for months that President Donald Trump has been downplaying the severity of the coronavirus. In the spring, we knew that Covid-19 wasn’t just like the seasonal flu, despite Trump’s reassurances that it was. And we’ve known that the pandemic won’t just “disappear,” no matter how many times the president insists it will.

Records from the Department of Health and Human Services of communication regarding Brett O'Donnell, a communications contractor working for CMS.

FOIA seeking all documents regarding the decision to engage Brett O’Donnell (or his employer) as a contractor, including but not limited to: any Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the services now provided by Mr. O’Donnell; any internal discussions regarding the decision to use a contractor for the services now provided by Mr. O’Donnell; any internal discussions regarding the decision to select Mr. O’Donnell as the contractor to perform that work; or any communications with Mr. O’Donnell about the work to be performed by him. (HHS-18-0083)