Sebastian Smith
13.2K posts
@SebastianAFP
AFP Washington desk chief. Formerly White House. Formerly formerly: Moscow, Chechnya, NYC, Rio de Janeiro, US #localnews. You say Thor, I say thaw.
Ebola has broken out in DR Congo and Uganda, reaching the capitals, and @WHO has declared this a global health emergency. I traveled along the Congo/Uganda border last year, and the public health structure--especially community health workers--was being dismantled because of President Trump's demolition of USAID. This Ebola outbreak will also be harder to address because it involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no vaccine or approved therapy and for which even testing is complicated. And Trump has also withdrawn the US from @who, limiting the world's ability to work together to fight the virus. Uganda has a decent health system, but Congo's is a disaster and is complicated by war in Eastern Congo. Large numbers of Congolese are in camps in southwestern Uganda, and the US aid cuts mean that UN agencies are able to offer them less support so that the refugees increasingly are on their own and traveling more in search of food. If the Ebola spreads more broadly, then the cost in lives and money could be considerable -- so it's important to act early to contain it. I hope Trump will reconsider his moves, work with WHO, and dispatch assistance to the Uganda/Congo border area. nytimes.com/2026/05/17/wor…
I've met with some of the worst guys on Earth - but Xi Jinping is without a doubt the coldest and most ruthless leader I've encountered. We should be under no illusions about his malign intentions toward the US or any power that challenges him on the world stage.
The president will go to Walter Reed for a medical and dental evaluation in a few weeks on May 26 and to meet with troops.
Sleepover at dad’s house🤣 It never isn’t surreal to be able to witness this incredible slice of Americana. Just an absolute honor. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
