White House Urges Trump to Continue ‘Havana Syndrome’ Research 

WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday urged the incoming Trump administration to continue research into the so-called “Havana syndrome,” a series of anomalous health incidents experienced by government employees that so far have no known root cause.

The investigation into incidents began in 2017, after a number of U.S. and Canadian government officials and their families began to report suffering from chronic symptoms, including dizziness, cognitive problems, headaches and insomnia, while stationed at overseas posts.

The ailment, which is still not formally recognized by the medical community, became known as the Havana syndrome because the first 21 people stricken were all working in diplomatic or Defense Department positions in Havana.

In each case, the afflicted personnel reported experiencing a series of sudden and troubling sensory events, such as hearing strange, grating noises before their symptoms arose, while others said they felt pressure or vibrations.

In some cases, the headaches and other conditions lasted for months.

Though foreign adversaries, so-called “energy” weapons and even psychological and social factors have been looked at as possible causes, so far the lines of inquiry have proven inconclusive.

As it has continued to search for the cause, the Biden administration has tasked departments and agencies across government to develop new policies to expand access to and improve medical care for affected personnel, ensure incidents could be reported freely and without stigma, and provide benefits to eligible employees under statutes passed by Congress.

“Our focus on these priorities remains unwavering and must continue,” said National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett in a statement on Friday.

Wednesday’s updated Intelligence Community Assessment, the product of ongoing analytic efforts, includes a shift in key judgements by some intelligence components.

Savett said, “This only reinforces why it is vital that the U.S. Government continue critical research, investigate credible incidents, and strengthen efforts to provide timely care and long-term clinical follow-up.

“We will be briefing the incoming administration on the full scope of ongoing work that should continue, as well as additional areas of focus recommended by the Intelligence Community Experts Panel, which found that a subset of anomalous health incidents cannot be easily explained by known environmental or medical conditions and that pulsed electromagnetic or acoustic energy remains a plausible explanation in certain cases,” he continued.  

“As with other health challenges faced by U.S. personnel that took years to diagnose, sustained clinical, research and investigative work is necessary to clarify what caused the symptoms our colleagues have reported, develop effective medical interventions, and prevent future incidents,” Savett  added. “Our brave colleagues and their families, who suffered real and sometimes serious injuries, deserve no less.”

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