Trump Administration Awards $40 Million Ebola Contracts to Trump-Linked Firm

The Trump administration awarded nearly $40 million in federal contracts to XpresTest, a small biosecurity company, to screen for Ebola at United States airports and respond to outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The awards consist of $20 million from the United States Department of State under the America First Global Health Strategy and $18.8 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The contracts have drawn scrutiny following a ProPublica investigation revealing that XWELL, the parent company of XpresTest, received a $30 million investment from American Ventures. This fund is linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump through Dominari Holdings. A spokesperson for the Trump brothers stated they are passive investors with no involvement in the procurement process, while the State Department defended the selection as the result of a competitive process.

Critics and former officials question the awards because XpresTest lacks experience with Ebola and international operations, noting that XWELL primarily operates airport spas. XWELL CEO Ezra Ernst admitted the international work is a "risky contract" and expressed uncertainty regarding the company's ability to execute the mission. The deals are expected to face increased congressional scrutiny following the Democrats' victory in recent midterm elections.