Trump allies file FOIA on Biden kidney transplant plan

America First Legal, a legal group aligned with former President Donald Trump and founded by White House aide Stephen Miller, has filed Freedom of Information Act requests targeting a Biden organ transplant program that has raised concerns about potential abuse.

The requests were sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program in question, known as the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, is a six-year mandatory initiative set to take effect in July 2025. It aims to expand access to kidney transplants through financial incentives and penalties for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Critics, including Trump officials and allies at America First Legal, have raised concerns that the program could be vulnerable to outside influence. Recent findings from an investigation led by the Health Resources and Services Administration suggested that third-party groups or for-profit organizations may have unduly influenced the program.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also expressed concerns about the program, citing “clear negligence and disturbing practices” by a large organ procurement organization in the U.S. This has prompted the launch of a new reform initiative within the department.

America First Legal’s FOIA requests seek information on the development and implementation of the program, including any communications between agency personnel and third-party representatives. The group is particularly interested in ensuring that the program was developed without improper influence.

The Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model is intended to address the long waiting list of patients awaiting transplants in the U.S., which currently stands at approximately 90,000 people. Participating hospitals will be evaluated based on their performance in key areas such as the volume of kidney transplants, matching efficiency, and post-transplant outcomes.

America First Legal, although not officially part of the Trump administration, was founded by Stephen Miller and has continued to advocate for policies aligned with Trump’s agenda. Miller recently rejoined the White House as Trump’s deputy chief of staff.

Breanne Deppisch, a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covers the Trump administration and other national news, including the ongoing investigation into the Biden organ transplant program.