The head of disaster medicine at George Washington University had been hired by Walter Reed and removed from the military hospital’s schedule after criticizing the president, who was being treated for Covid-19 at the hospital, for taking his motorcade and secret service agents into a move to wave to supporters outside in October, a source familiar with the situation told CNN. He will continue his work at the George Washington School of Medicine.
“I am honored to have worked there and I am looking forward to new opportunities. I keep my words and do not regret anything,” he wrote.
The National Military Medical Center Walter Reed said “no decision was made by anyone” at the hospital to remove Phillips from the schedule in a statement to CNN on Monday.
“As you may know, Dr. Phillips worked as a hired employee at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), which provides requirements for hired employees to the hired agency,” said the hospital. “The hired agency then works with hired employees to determine individual hours.”
The White House declined to comment on CNN on Monday, and George Washington did not immediately return a message.
Phillips called the president’s passage “completely unnecessary” and said that Trump put lives at risk by “political theater” in an October tweet that has already been deleted.
“This presidential SUV is not just bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attacks,” he tweeted then. “The risk of transmitting COVID19 inside is as high as it can be outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to gamble.”
He continued: “Every person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary presidential ‘passage’ now needs to be quarantined for 14 days. They can get sick. They can die. By political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for the theater. This is insanity. “