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Army Doctor Testifies on Covid Vaccine Deaths in Federal Court — AI-generated representative image: A federal courthouse setting, illustrating a legal deposition related to Covid-19 vaccine testimony.

Editorial Team

Pentagon adviser to HHS Secretary Kennedy reports 2,544 deaths logged in VAERS during deposition

A US Army doctor has testified that she is aware of 28 US military deaths linked to Covid-19 vaccines, and that the government is investigating 2,544 deaths reported following the jabs. Theresa Long, an adviser to US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., gave the testimony during an August 14 deposition in a federal court case in Virginia, according to a report by Politico citing court records.

Neither Long's testimony nor her advisory role at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had previously been publicly reported.

The deposition has drawn attention because it places a serving military doctor and HHS adviser on record discussing vaccine-related deaths, a subject that remains politically sensitive in the United States. The figures she cited come from the government's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a database that collects unverified reports from the public and health professionals.

Her testimony emerged during a lawsuit over the dismissal of a former CIA official, connecting vaccine policy disputes to an ongoing federal employment case.

Key Testimony and Reported Figures

Long stated that the 2,544 deaths were reported to VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System operated by the Department of Health and Human Services. The system accepts reports without independent verification, meaning the figures represent reported events rather than confirmed causal links. Long separately testified that she knows of 28 US military deaths caused by Covid-19 vaccines.

Long appeared as a witness for the defense in a lawsuit being heard by District Court Judge Michael Nachmanoff. The case concerns the dismissal of Terry Adirim as director of the CIA's Center for Global Health Services.

Background of the Lawsuit and Vaccine Policy

The underlying case involves Terry Adirim, who alleges the CIA fired her for political reasons, specifically because of her advocacy for Covid-19 vaccination. Adirim served as acting assistant secretary for health affairs at the Department of Defense during the pandemic. The CIA terminated her in April 2025, a move highlighted at the time by several conservative commentators, including Ivan Raiklin, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Her termination came roughly a month before she would have qualified for full federal retirement benefits.

Former President Joe Biden had ordered all US military personnel to be vaccinated or face discharge, a policy that resulted in more than 9,000 dismissals. After returning to office, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to offer reinstatement to those discharged for refusing vaccination. Covid-19 vaccines using mRNA technology were fast-tracked for deployment, and manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna, which earned billions in profit, later acknowledged the vaccines could in rare cases raise the risk of heart muscle inflammation.

Legal Proceedings and Official Positions

In May 2025, Judge Nachmanoff expressed skepticism about Adirim's chances of prevailing when he declined to issue an injunction reversing her termination. The CIA has argued that the matter is an ordinary contract dispute rather than a politically motivated dismissal.

Health Secretary Kennedy has repeatedly argued that some vaccines have been insufficiently studied and may carry serious side effects. Critics have accused him of promoting anti-vaccine views and contended that those views make him unsuitable to serve as health secretary. The deposition by Long, given her dual role as an Army doctor and HHS adviser, adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate over vaccine safety and federal employment decisions.

What Comes Next

The federal case remains before Judge Nachmanoff, with no ruling yet reported on Adirim's claims. The 2,544 deaths cited by Long remain unverified, as VAERS reports do not establish causation. Additional details about the government's investigation into those reports have not been publicly confirmed, and further developments in the lawsuit are awaited.