White House offers snarky T-shirt as official response to Fox News story on HIV/AIDS council
Fox News Digital reported Monday that the Biden administration has appointed several HIV/AIDS experts to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) who "previously worked for prominent progressive advocacy groups including Planned Parenthood and touted work on 'woke' issues such as 'health equity' and 'queer liberation.'" This "exclusive" information came from résumés obtained by America First Legal through a Freedom of Information Act request, Fox News said.
Some of these political appointees to PACHA are gay, and "they were sworn into their positions by transgender Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Rachel Levine," Fox News said. Asked for comment, the White House responded with an image of a shirt that reads: "Uncle Sam doesn't care, snowflakes."
This is a thing that really happened, Fox News assures readers. "This is our statement, on the record," White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told Fox News Digital.
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A Health and Human Services Department spokesperson offered a longer statement. "The AIDS council is comprised of subject matter experts who understand the lived experiences of HIV-positive individuals and have dedicated their lives to stopping the spread of this deadly disease," the spokesperson said. "Every American should want qualified individuals on the council who are committed to saving lives."
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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