The United States is not prepared for the possibility of a biological or chemical warfare strike, according to several former federal officials, pointing to the lack of preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need to be prepared to be able to respond to the next crisis, whatever that might be. It may be another emerging infectious disease, it may be an intentional biochemical event, Robert Kadlec, the Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness and response during the Trump administration, tells Axios. “We can’t predict that.”