America’s terrifying, secret plan to deal with biological-weapon attacks

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, August 2, 2026

A new investigation reveals that the U.S. lacks sufficient capacity to manage a large-scale biological weapon attack, relying instead on a highly secretive "Devolution Plan" to preserve government continuity amid widespread collapse. Experts warn that the nation's current emergency response systems would be overwhelmed, making containment nearly impossible and highlighting critical vulnerabilities in homeland defense against biological threats.

A recent examination of the United States’ readiness for a large-scale biological weapon attack reveals significant challenges and a highly classified contingency framework designed to preserve government continuity in the event of national collapse. The scenario, developed by journalist Jacobsen and supported by commentary from retired U.S. Air Force colonel Dr. Thomas Ehrhard, raises concerns about the country’s capacity to respond effectively to such an event.

The hypothetical scenario outlined depicts an overwhelming biological attack that rapidly exhausts medical supplies and cripples first responders’ ability to manage victims. This crisis leads to a breakdown of essential services and infrastructure on an unprecedented scale, with fatalities reaching into the hundreds of millions.

Central to the government’s response is a little-known protocol called the “Devolution Plan,” which involves the secret transfer of power to backup officials and relocation of command to hidden facilities. The plan is designed to maintain a functional government amid widespread chaos and infrastructure failure. According to Jacobsen, this strategy has been in place and rehearsed clandestinely across multiple presidential administrations since the advent of the atomic age.

In the imagined crisis, the president would enact the Insurrection Act and declare martial law, an action grounded in existing legal authority under 47 US Code 606. Control of communications would include shutting down the internet to curb misinformation and unrest. Meanwhile, the military would prioritize securing nuclear power plants over public protection. The president would be relocated to a secure, undisclosed location, physically isolated from advisors and family, to oversee the nation’s survival from a distance.

Experts cited by Jacobsen suggest that once a biological weapon is unleashed on a national scale, containment and mitigation become nearly impossible. The scenario paints a grim picture in which traditional emergency protocols prove inadequate, and societal collapse is inevitable.

This analysis underscores broader critiques regarding U.S. preparedness for biological threats. Dr. Ehrhard specifically points to a lack of substantial homeland defense infrastructure capable of halting or minimizing the impact of such attacks.

Jacobsen closes by highlighting a profound irony: despite humanity’s unparalleled achievements in science and technology—from space exploration to understanding the cosmos—there remains a critical failure to protect the domestic environment from existential biological threats. She warns that any future biological catastrophe would reflect fundamental shortcomings in safeguarding the nation’s biosphere.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.