Internet dismisses watchdog's claims that Trump's WH staffers were handed out controlled drugs like candy

WASHINGTON, DC: A scorching new report claims the White House under former President Donald Trump operated less like an executive branch of government and more like a frat house when it came to pharmaceuticals.

According to a Department of Defense investigation, staffers had virtually unlimited access to controlled substances like Provigil and Ambien through the White House Medical Unit.

This even extended to "thousands" of non-essential employees who received the VIP medical care and free prescription drugs essentially "by proxy." The findings portray an alarming disregard for federal laws meant to regulate these addictive substances, as reported by The New York Post.

Controlled drugs handed with little documentation under Trump

The 80-page report from the DOD's Office of Inspector General found that the White House pharmacy operated with practically no oversight or adherence to federal regulations for properly prescribing and tracking controlled substances from 2017-2019.

Controlled drugs with a high potential for abuse, like the insomnia medication Ambien and the narcolepsy drug Provigil, were reportedly dispensed frequently without verifying patient identities or maintaining any record of the prescriptions, as mandated by Drug Enforcement Agency policies.

Interviewed witnesses claimed these drugs were often pre-packed in ziplock bags and picked up by aides instead of the intended patient. In one instance recounted in the report, a White House Medical Unit provider gifted Provigil pills to a departing staffer "as a parting gift."

The pharmacy purchased name-brand versions of Ambien and Provigil by the thousands during this period, despite policies directing government pharmacies to use more affordable generics.

This represented an estimated $46,500 spent on the brand name Ambien, which costs 174 times more than the generic and $98,000 spent on the brand name Provigil, which is 55 times pricier than its generic form.

'Healthcare by proxy' provided thousands of ineligible staffers free drugs

While the White House Medical Unit is only intended to serve approximately 60 elite presidential appointees, the report found that an estimated 6,000 additional White House staffers, government employees and contractors received free "healthcare by proxy" through the clinic.

This care included access to controlled substance prescriptions through improper and illegal distribution practices, inspectors said. They concluded these infractions stem from a near complete lack of oversight and documentation within the White House pharmacy.

Witnesses described an environment where passing out stimulants and sedatives without a prescribing provider present was deemed acceptable and standard procedure. The investigators said this lack of accountability put patients' well-being at risk while blatantly violating federal regulations meant to govern controlled substance prescriptions and protect public health and safety.

Internet reacts to findings about White House pharmacy under Trump

On social media, commenters had plenty to say in reaction to the investigation's findings. One X user, expressing skepticism, stated, "Y'all getting desperate now." Another user raised the issue of recent controversies, commenting, "Really!!! How about that cocaine found in the WH?"

In a mix of cynicism and sarcasm, a third user noted, "Cocaine in the White House is a hard score to beat," while someone else seemed nonchalant, stating, "But don’t worry about all the cocaine in the White House."

In a contrasting view, a fifth user urged everyone to shift focus, humorously suggesting, "Let’s ignore the cocaine." Meanwhile, a sixth user injected a bit of curiosity into the conversation, asking, "So….. who dished out the coke during the current administration?"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.