A video posted on the social media platform X features Senator Patty Murray of Washington State blaming the outbreak of parasite cases on public health budgets cut during the Trump Administration.
Commenters took to the replies below the video to share their frustrations with what was being said, including the implication that Murray’s understanding of how the Centers for Disease Control works. Some even cited the CDC itself in what it does and doesn’t do for the public.
In the video above, Senator Patty Murphy says, “Hear about the outbreak of parasites in our produce causing explosive diarrhea?” By this, she is referring to the Cyclospora outbreak, which has caused several food safety issues across the country.
In the video’s caption, she wrote, “CDC used to track Cyclospora, but Trump gutted our public health infrastructure & made monitoring the parasite optional. Now, we’re in the worst outbreak in U.S. history.” By optional, she is likely referring to the fact that states are being asked to voluntarily report cases to the CDC.
She also describes a government program named FoodNet that tracks similar parasites in food and provides detailed data sets to see how illnesses have progressed and are expected to change. According to this data set, July 2026 was responsible for approximately 45% of all Cyclospora infections.
In June 2026, that number was approximately 21%. Murray uses these data sets to describe the difference in public health in the year since the Trump Administration “pushed out thousands of public health experts at the CDC.”
Comments and Reactions to Washington Senator Patty Murray’s CDC Claims
While there were some comments pointed at Senator Patty Murray’s personal politics, others cited the CDC’s following of the Cyclospora cases in the United States. One person wrote, “The CDC is still closely tracking Cyclospora but it’s up to each state to report cases to the CDC. This map shows the states that are voluntarily reporting cases. So maybe instead of blaming Trump you should redirect your criticism to the state health departments that are not reporting their cases. (Source: CDC)”
Similarly, another highly-liked comment read, “Listen to yourself. The CDC tracks, not does anything to stop it, just tracks. Well, it has been tracked and monitored, and documented. The exact same as before, no difference. You are just a blithering idiot.”
As the clip continues to go viral on X, more and more people are commenting in the replies below to share their opinions and frustrations.
