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

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

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

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

Politico mentioned nine unnamed people, familiar with the office operations, who described Gupta as “egocentric and ‘prima donna’ preoccupied with his public profile.”

These accusations have come at a time when the office is facing significant staff departures. At least eight top officials and several others have resigned in recent months, according to Politico.

The departures have left the office without enough top officials, as roughly around 75 people have left the office. The departures have made it hard for them to meet important deadlines.

“When everybody leaves, it can’t be ‘everybody is the problem,’” one of the unnamed former officials was quoted as saying. “On some level, you might be the problem,” reported the Politico.

An ONDCP official told Politico that the office’s “critical mission to address the overdose epidemic is deeply personal to Gupta: from his decades of work as a physician treating patients with substance-use disorders, to leading the public health response efforts in ground zero of the opioid crisis in West Virginia.”

“Gupta remains laser-focused on the office’s work to strengthen life-saving public health services, prevent illicit drugs from reaching our communities, and meeting with Americans across the country to strengthen our whole-of-society response,” the official said.

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

Gupta was initially praised for his qualifications but later alleged that he had fallen short of expectations.

GUPTA’S UNREALISTIC DEMANDS

Seven current and former officials told Politico that Gupta didn’t meet expectations. They said Rahul Gupta pressured his small team to boost his public image, even getting upset when they couldn’t arrange meetings with important people during his trips.

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

The former and current officials mentioned that Gupta’s trips were more about him than the work of the ONDCP. He wanted to be treated like a top government official during his travels and would get angry if his staff couldn’t meet his demands.

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

In another incident, Rahul Gupta measured a hotel room and then asked for a bigger one. He’d show up to events, like embassy parties, in a fancy government SUV, even though ONDCP directors don’t usually use them for non-work events.

Some people say Gupta’s actions don’t match what Biden expects from his team, and it makes them worry if he’s focused on the office’s main job. Officials, who formerly worked with Rahul Gupta, blamed him for the office’s problems.

The former officials said they were even unclear about the ONDCP, with Rahul Gupta as its head.