“‘What I learned most is that we had to stand up a global biosecurity and health directorate, and get it enshrined for the next administration,’ said Lisa Monaco, Mr. Obama’s homeland security adviser…
“After Mr. Trump’s election, Ms. Monaco arranged an extensive exercise for high-level incoming officials — including Rex W. Tillerson, the nominee for secretary of state; John F. Kelly, designated to become homeland security secretary; and Rick Perry, who would become energy secretary — gaming out the response to a deadly flu outbreak.
“She asked Tom Bossert, who was preparing to come in as Mr. Trump’s homeland security adviser, to run the event alongside her.
“‘We modeled a new strain of flu in the exercise precisely because it’s so communicable,’ Ms. Monaco said. ‘There is no vaccine, and you would get issues like nursing homes being particularly vulnerable, shortages of ventilators.’
“Ms. Monaco was impressed by how seriously Mr. Bossert, her successor, appeared to take the threat, as did many of the 30 or so Trump team members who participated in the exercise, details of which were reported by Politico…”