The Steady Drip: Pigott to Newsmax: State Dept Protecting Americans With Cruise Response (Connecting the Dots: HHS, CDC, Emory University & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Pigott to Newsmax: State Dept Protecting Americans With Cruise Response (Connecting the Dots: HHS, CDC, Emory University & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Newsmax.com

By Nicole Weatherholtz | Tuesday, 12 May 2026 10:58 AM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/tommy-pigott-hantavirus-cruiseship/2026/05/12/id/1256000/

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Newsmax on Tuesday that the Trump administration is working to protect Americans following the deadly hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship.

During an appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Pigott said protecting Americans at home and abroad remains the State Department's "most fundamental objective" as federal agencies coordinate the response effort.

"The safety and security of the American people is the most fundamental objective, the most fundamental goal, that we have at the State Department, both at home and abroad," Pigott said. "To that end, we've seen our consular affairs services working with world-class health professionals to communicate with Americans that were on that boat."

The outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship has drawn worldwide attention after multiple passengers reportedly contracted Andes virus, a rare hantavirus strain that can cause severe respiratory illness and, in some cases, death.

Federal health officials said the overall risk to the American public remains low, but authorities have continued monitoring passengers brought back to the United States after the ship docked in the Canary Islands.

Some passengers were reportedly transported to medical facilities in Nebraska and at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Pigott said the administration coordinated closely with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services to safely remove Americans from the vessel.

"We saw the chartered repatriation flight," Pigott said. "On that repatriation flight, the highest medical standards were upheld working with the CDC, with HHS."

The CDC has issued alerts to healthcare providers about possible imported Andes virus cases while emphasizing the risk of broader community spread remains limited.

Health officials continue tracing passengers and monitoring for symptoms linked to the outbreak.

Pigott said the federal response reflects the Trump administration's broader commitment to prioritizing the safety of Americans during overseas emergencies and international health crises.

"We're living up to our fundamental objective here, our fundamental purpose about the safety and the security of the American people," Pigott said. "This is another example of that."

Connecting the Dots:

Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was Dora Hughes and was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Barack Obama administration.

Dora Hughes was Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is a senior policy adviser for Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP and the president for the Barack Obama administration.

R. Eden Martin was counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and Lester Crown’s son.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is James S. Crown’s father and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the CDC Foundation.

Charles H. McTier is a board member for the CDC Foundation and was a trustee at Emory University.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Jeffrey P. Koplan was a director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is a VP at Emory University.

William H. Foege was a director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is a professor at Emory University.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Robert Jeffrey was a board member for the CDC Foundation and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Millennium Promise.

Amy Robbins Towers was a director at the Millennium Promise married to Larry Robbins and is a board member for the CDC Foundation.

Larry Robbins was married to Amy Robbins Towers and is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation, the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Emma Bloomberg was the chief of staff for the Robin Hood Foundation, Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter and is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Michael R. Bloomberg was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation, the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the CDC Foundation.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Morton H. Halperin is a director at the ONE Campaign, a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and served with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas and was a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Warren E. Buffett is an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father.

Howard G. Buffett is Warren E. Buffett’s son and a director at the ONE Campaign.

Susan A. Buffett is Warren E. Buffett’s daughter and a director at the ONE Campaign.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Morton H. Halperin is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Lawrence H. Summers is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Sheryl K. Sandberg is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Helene D. Gayle is a director at the ONE Campaign and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

David M. Rubenstein is co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), was a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank).

Henrietta Holsman Fore is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank) and a member of the Belizean Grove.

Belizean_Grove is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.

Henry A. Kissinger was a member of the Bohemian Club, a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank).

Dolores D. Wharton was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a trustee emeritus at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank).

Frederick B. Whittemore was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank).

Muhtar Kent is a trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (think tank) and a trustee at Emory University.

Fani Willis attended Emory University School of Law and is the District Attorney of Fulton County.

John G. Rice is a trustee at Emory University and a board member for the CDC Foundation.

Charles H. McTier was a trustee at Emory University and is a board member for the CDC Foundation.

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Jeffrey P. Koplan was a director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is a VP at Emory University.

William H. Foege was a director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is a professor at Emory University.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the CDC Foundation and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Dora Hughes is a senior policy adviser for Sidley Austin LLP and was Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).