This past weekend, the Trump administration dismissed Steven Hatfill, a high-ranking advisor known for his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and advocacy for hydroxychloroquine as a treatment during the pandemic.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed Hatfill’s termination was for cause, but offered no additional information, as reported by The Hill.

The initial report of Hatfill’s dismissal was covered by Bloomberg.

An HHS senior official conveyed to The New York Times that Hatfill was dismissed for falsely presenting himself as the “chief medical officer for the assistant secretary for preparedness and response.”

In contrast, Hatfill told the Times that he believed his removal was part of a “coup to overthrow” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., orchestrated by Kennedy’s chief of staff, Matt Buckham. Hatfill asserted he was dismissed after he refused to step down voluntarily.

Hatfill first came to public prominence in 2002 when his apartment was searched as part of the FBI’s investigation into deadly anthrax attacks. Hatfill maintained he was wrongly accused and later received a settlement from the Justice Department.

During the first Trump administration, Hatfill served as an advisor and advocated for the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, for treatingCOVID infections. He has previously claimed that mRNA vaccines cause “biochemical havoc” in the body, and was supportive of HHS terminating millions in funding for mNRA research.

In 2022, the Democrat-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis alleged in a report that Hatfill and other officials in the administration led a pressure campaign on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for allegedly impeding access to hydroxychloroquine.