Top Indian-American White House official accused of creating ‘toxic’ environment

An Indian-American White House official who was tasked with tackling the opioid epidemic is being accused of creating a “toxic” work environment.

White House Director Rahul Gupta was named by several former and current officials of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

According to Politico, he blamed the ‘drug czar’ for “significant staff turnover and widespread discontent”.

Politico cited nine unnamed people familiar with office operations who described Gupta as “egocentric and preoccupied with his public profile.”

These allegations come at a time when the office is facing the furlough of a large number of employees. At least eight top executives and several others have resigned in recent months, according to Politico.

The departure has left the office without adequate top officials, as around 75 people have left the office. The departures have made it difficult for him to meet important deadlines.

One of the unnamed former executives was quoted as saying, “When everyone leaves, it might be ‘not everyone is the problem.'” “On some level, you may be the problem,” Politico reported.

An ONDCP official told POLITICO that the office’s “vital mission to combat the overdose epidemic is deeply personal to Gupta: From his decades of work as a physician treating patients with substance-use disorders, Ground Zero “To lead public health response efforts to the opioid crisis in West Virginia.”

“Gupta will focus her office’s work on strengthening life-saving public health services, preventing illicit drugs from reaching our communities, and meeting with Americans across the country to strengthen our response across society,” the official said. is focused on.”

Rahul Gupta, a physician with over 25 years of experience, was appointed to ONDCP by President Joe Biden in 2021. He also served as health commissioner for two governors of West Virginia and was a professor of medicine and taught at several universities.

Gupta was initially praised for his abilities but later accused of falling short of expectations.

Gupta’s unrealistic demands

Seven current and former officials told POLITICO that Gupta failed to meet expectations. He said Rahul Gupta put pressure on his small team to boost his public image, even becoming upset when they could not arrange meetings with important people during his visits.

According to Politico, “In his public-facing role, Gupta travels frequently domestically and abroad, and staffers often felt he had unrealistic demands about his travel accommodations.”

Former and current officials noted that Gupta’s trips were more about him than the work of ONDCP. He wanted to be treated like a top government official during his travels and became angry if his staff could not meet his demands.

Gupta canceled a trip in 2023 after months of planning because he didn’t want to fly on Southwest Airlines, Politico reported.

In another incident, Rahul Gupta measured a hotel room and then asked for a bigger room. He appeared at events such as embassy parties in a fancy government SUV, even though ONDCP directors do not usually use them for non-work events.

Some say Gupta’s actions don’t match Biden’s expectations for his team, and cause them concern if he focuses on the core work of the office. Officials who had worked with Rahul Gupta in the past blamed him for the office’s problems.

Former officials said they were also unclear about the ONDCP, which is headed by Rahul Gupta.