Benjamin Swasey

Ben Swasey is a deputy editor on the Washington Desk, covering the 2020 presidential campaign through the inauguration.

A Massachusetts native, Swasey was previously a political editor and digital manager at WBUR in Boston.

Federal Scientist Says He Was Removed For Resisting Unproven Coronavirus Treatments

By • Apr 22, 2020

Updated on April 23 at 8:20 a.m. ET

A high-ranking federal scientist focused on vaccine development says he was removed from his post because of his "insistence" that the government spend funds on "safe and scientifically vetted solutions" to address the coronavirus crisis and not on "drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit."

A Timeline Of Coronavirus Comments From President Trump And WHO

By , & • Apr 15, 2020

Editor's note: This story has been updated with an entry for Jan. 14 with statements from WHO about human-to-human transmission.

On Tuesday, President Trump said he's suspending U.S. funding for the World Health Organization. He said the agency has "mismanaged" the pandemic, has been slow to respond to the crisis and is "China-centric."

We looked at the public record to see what Trump and the WHO had to say over the past 15 weeks about the coronavirus pandemic. Here's a timeline highlighting key quotes.

Jan. 5

'Project Airbridge' To Expedite Arrival Of Needed Supplies, White House Says

By • Mar 29, 2020

A planeload of health care supplies arrived in New York City on Sunday from China, part of an effort the White House says will expedite the arrival of goods that are badly needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Sen. Rand Paul Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

By • Mar 22, 2020

Updated at 5:53 p.m. ET

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has become the first senator to test positive for the coronavirus. His staff says he is asymptomatic.

In a statement released on Sunday, Paul's deputy chief of staff, Sergio Gor, wrote: