US woefully unprepared for chemical or biological weapons attack: ex-officials

The U.S. is woefully unprepared for the possibility of biological warfare, according to former federal officials.

The nation has historically stockpiled treatments, vaccines and equipment that would be needed in an emergency, but those investments haven't kept pace with the government's standards -- leaving the U.S. as vulnerable to biological or chemical weapons as it was to the coronavirus pandemic, reported Axios.

"We need to be prepared to be able to respond to the next crisis, whatever that might be. It may be another emerging infectious disease, it may be an intentional biochemical event," said Robert Kadlec, who served as Homeland Security's assistant secretary for preparedness and response during the Trump administration. "We can't predict that."

There's no immediate threat, but concerns about Russia's potential for using biological or chemical weapons against Ukraine has served as a reminder of the importance of preparation for the worst.

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"When [Putin] rattles the saber over bio, nuclear and chemical weapons, we better sit up and take note and be ready," said Greg Walden, who previously chaired the House committee that oversees public health and preparedness.

That same stockpiled was used to supply masks and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also can be used for smallpox, anthrax, radiation and nuclear burns.

"In the case of smallpox and some of the others, we have the treatments and the antidotes that we need," Walden said. "The question is, do we have enough of it, is it current, and can we deploy it effectively in time to prevent a catastrophe?"

"Literally, are we set up to do drive-through distribution of whatever the medicine is in a major city?" he added. "We saw how hard that was to pull off. Having lived through [the pandemic] now, I have trouble believing we’re set up to pull this off."

A former Trump administration official said the problem is persistent and ongoing.

"We are absolutely not close to meeting requirements -- ever," said a former HHS official who served under Donald Trump. "We've routinely not been as prepared as our own government says we should be."