National
Chicago man dies on Atlantis Events-chartered cruise
Reports indicate Jonathan Mindrum may have died from drug overdose
The family of a Chicago man who died on an Atlantis Events-chartered cruise last week is searching for answers about the circumstances that led to his death.
Reports indicate Jonathan Mindrum, 36, died on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas at around 3 a.m. on Jan. 24.
The ship left Miami on Jan. 21 and returned to the city on Jan. 28. The itinerary that Atlantis Events posted to its website notes the ship was scheduled to arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 7 a.m. on Jan. 24.
Jim Walker, a Miami-based lawyer who publishes Cruise Law News, a blog that covers “everything the cruise lines don’t want you to know,” published a social media post from Mindrum’s sister, Jennifer Mindrum, in which she requested information about her brother’s death.”
“I believe I saw him die,” said one man in response to the post.
“The party Tuesday night/Wednesday morning was the Neon Playground party in Studio B, which is one of the ship’s entertainment venues that they convert into a nightclub for parties,” he said. “Around 3 a.m. they stopped the music briefly and announced ‘code alpha alpha alpha’ over the intercom, which is code for life-threatening medical emergency.”
The man said Jonathan Mindrum “was seated in one of the front rows of seats overlooking the dance floor, and was surrounded by people trying to get him to wake up.”
“At one point someone tried to pry his eyelids open, but he was not responsive,” said the man in his post. “The Care Team came down and took him to the medical center outside of Studio B and then closed the doors.”
The man said “the rumor mill aboard the ship is saying that he took a fentanyl-laced ecstasy tablet that he purchased on board. I don’t know that for sure, but that’s just what people are saying.”
The Washington Blade has not independently verified this claim.
Jennifer Mindrum told the Blade during a telephone interview that her brother died on board the ship and authorities brought his body to the coroner’s office in San Juan once it docked. They later released it to a local funeral home.
Jonathan Mindrum’s body remains in Puerto Rico.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson on Monday confirmed “we had a death onboard and that it was unexpected and not suspicious.” Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell on Tuesday in an emailed statement to the Blade also confirmed Jonathan Mindrum passed away on the Oasis of the Seas.
“Mr. Mindrum did unfortunately pass away onboard Oasis last week, but the circumstances regarding his death were not suspicious,” said Campbell. “We are very saddened by this loss and our condolences go out to his friends and family.”
Craig Mindrum, Jonathan Mindrum’s father, in a statement to the Blade said his son was a “brilliant person as a professional consultant and thinker.” Craig Mindrum also noted his son was completing a master’s degree in data science at Northwestern University.
“He had a very bright future ahead of him, so losing him is a loss not just to us but to the world,” said Craig Mindrum.
“We are in the depths of grief about losing Jonathan, and we also have important questions about the circumstances of his death and emergency services provided to him,” he added.
Campbell noted to the Blade there “were no other deaths or major medical incidents during our cruise and nothing else out of the ordinary occurred.” He also said Atlantis Events does “not get involved in guest’s personal medical issues of any type.”
“These are the responsibility of the operating cruise line and we do not have access to guest medical records,” said Campbell. “We are made aware of the situation and the cruise line’s care response teams follow up with family members directly. We only are involved when asked by the family, which has not occurred in this case.”
Companies have ‘strict zero tolerance policy’ towards onboard drugs
Spencer Yu, a Warner Bros. lawyer and GLAAD board member, in 2009 died from a heart attack while on an Atlantis Events-chartered cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. Cruise Law News notes speculation that indicates Yu may have died from a drug overdose.
Joel Taylor, star of the Discovery Channel series “Storm Chasers,” in 2018 died of a suspected overdose on board the Harmony of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean ship that Atlantis Events chartered. Reports indicate Taylor had taken GHB before he lost consciousness and died in his cabin.
“Atlantis and Royal Caribbean both have a strict zero tolerance policy towards any illegal substance use onboard and work with the cruise lines and local authorities to enforce these policies,” Campbell told the Blade. “The policy is in writing both on our website and in all pre-cruise communications.”
“Overall, our 5,200 guests onboard Oasis had a sensational time with no serious incidents of any type,” he added. “Most of the posts we’ve seen on social media were not from people onboard the cruise. We take pride in creating a safe, entertaining and social environment for our community.”
A Wider Bridge on Friday announced it will shut down at the end of the month.
The group that “mobilizes the LGBTQ community to fight antisemitism and support Israel and its LGBTQ community” in a letter to supporters said financial challenges prompted the decision.
“After 15 years of building bridges between LGBTQ communities in North America and Israel, A Wider Bridge has made the difficult decision to wind down operations as of Dec. 31, 2025,” it reads.
“This decision comes after challenging financial realities despite our best efforts to secure sustainable funding. We deeply appreciate our supporters and partners who made this work possible.”
Arthur Slepian founded A Wider Bridge in 2010.
The organization in 2016 organized a reception at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change Conference in Chicago that was to have featured to Israeli activists. More than 200 people who protested against A Wider Bridge forced the event’s cancellation.
A Wider Bridge in 2024 urged the Capital Pride Alliance and other Pride organizers to ensure Jewish people can safely participate in their events in response to an increase in antisemitic attacks after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported authorities in Vermont late last year charged Ethan Felson, who was A Wider Bridge’s then-executive director, with lewd and lascivious conduct after alleged sexual misconduct against a museum employee. Rabbi Denise Eger succeeded Felson as A Wider Bridge’s interim executive director.
A Wider Bridge in June honored U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) at its Pride event that took place at the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. The event took place 15 days after a gunman killed two Israeli Embassy employees — Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim — as they were leaving an event at the museum.
“Though we are winding down, this is not a time to back down. We recognize the deep importance of our mission and work amid attacks on Jewish people and LGBTQ people – and LGBTQ Jews at the intersection,” said A Wider Bridge in its letter. “Our board members remain committed to showing up in their individual capacities to represent queer Jews across diverse spaces — and we know our partners and supporters will continue to do the same.”
Editor’s note: Washington Blade International News Editor Michael K. Lavers traveled to Israel and Palestine with A Wider Bridge in 2016.
The White House
‘Trump Rx’ plan includes sharp cuts to HIV drug prices
President made announcement on Friday
President Donald Trump met with leaders from some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies at the White House on Friday to announce his new “Trump Rx” plan and outline efforts to reduce medication costs for Americans.
During the roughly 47-minute meeting in the Roosevelt Room, Trump detailed his administration’s efforts to cut prescription drug prices and make medications more affordable for U.S. patients.
“Starting next year, American drug prices will come down fast, furious, and will soon be among the lowest in the developed world,” Trump said during the meeting. “For decades, Americans have been forced to pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs by far … We will get the lowest price of anyone in the world.”
Trump signed an executive order in May directing his administration “to do everything in its power to slash prescription drug prices for Americans while getting other countries to pay more.”
“This represents the greatest victory for patient affordability in the history of American health care, by far, and every single American will benefit,” he added.
Several pharmaceutical executives stood behind the president during the announcement, including Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan, Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee, Boehringer Ingelheim (USA) CEO Jean-Michel Boers, Gilead Sciences CEO Dan O’Day, Bristol Myers Squibb General Counsel Cari Gallman, GSK CEO Emma Walmsley, Merck CEO Robert Davis, and Amgen Executive Vice President Peter Griffith.
Also in attendance were Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.
Under the Trump Rx plan, the administration outlined a series of proposed drug price changes across multiple companies and therapeutic areas. Among them were reductions for Amgen’s cholesterol-lowering drug repatha from $573 to $239; Bristol Myers Squibb’s HIV medication reyataz from $1,449 to $217; Boehringer Ingelheim’s type 2 diabetes medication jentadueto from $525 to $55; Genentech’s flu medication xofluza from $168 to $50; and Gilead Sciences’ hepatitis C medication epclusa from $24,920 to $2,425.
Additional reductions included several GSK inhalers — such as the asthma inhaler advair diskus 500/50, from $265 to $89 — Merck’s diabetes medication januvia from $330 to $100, Novartis’ multiple sclerosis medication mayzent from $9,987 to $1,137, and Sanofi’s blood thinner plavix from $756 to $16. Sanofi insulin products would also be capped at $35 per month’s supply.
These prices, however, would only be available to patients who purchase medications directly through TrumpRx. According to the program’s website, TrumpRx “connects patients directly with the best prices, increasing transparency, and cutting out costly third-party markups.”
Kennedy spoke after Trump, thanking the president for efforts to lower pharmaceutical costs in the U.S., where evidence has shown that drug prices — including both brand-name and generic medications — are nearly 2.78 times higher than prices in comparable countries. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, roughly half of every dollar spent on brand-name drugs goes to entities that play no role in their research, development, or manufacturing.
“This is affordability in action,” Kennedy said. “We are reversing that trend and making sure that Americans can afford to get the life-saving solutions.”
Gilead CEO Dan O’Day also spoke about how the restructuring of drug costs under TrumpRx, combined with emerging technologies, could help reduce HIV transmission — a virus that, if untreated, can progress to AIDS. The LGBTQ community remains disproportionately affected by HIV.
“Thank you, Mr. President — you and the administration,” O’Day said. “I think this objective of achieving the commitment to affordability and future innovation is extraordinary … We just recently launched a new medicine that’s only given twice a year to prevent HIV, and we’re working with Secretary Kennedy and his entire team, as well as the State Department, as a part of your strategy to support ending the epidemic during your term.
“I’ve never been more optimistic about the innovation that exists across these companies and the impact this could have on America’s health and economy,” he added.
Trump interjected, asking, “And that’s working well with HIV?”
“Yes,” O’Day replied.
“It’s a big event,” Trump said.
“It literally prevents HIV almost 100 percent given twice a year,” O’Day responded.
A similar anti-HIV medication is currently prescribed more than injectable form mentioned by O’Day. PrEP, is a medication regimen proven to significantly reduce HIV infection rates for people at high risk. Without insurance, brand-name Truvada can cost roughly $2,000 per month, while a generic version costs about $60 per month.
Even when medication prices are reduced, PrEP access carries additional costs, including clinic and laboratory fees, office visits, required HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing, adherence services and counseling, and outreach to potentially eligible patients and providers.
According to a 2022 study, the annual total cost per person for PrEP — including medication and required clinical and laboratory monitoring — is approximately $12,000 to $13,000 per year.
The TrumpRx federal platform website is now live at TrumpRx.gov, but the program is not slated to begin offering reduced drug prices until January.
The White House
EXCLUSIVE: Democracy Forward files FOIA lawsuit after HHS deadnames Rachel Levine
Trans former assistant health secretary’s name changed on official portrait
Democracy Forward, a national legal organization that works to advance democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education, and regulatory engagement, filed a lawsuit Friday in federal court seeking to compel the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to release information related to the alteration of former Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Rachel Levine’s official portrait caption.
The lawsuit comes in response to the slow pace of HHS’s handling of multiple Freedom of Information Act requests — requests that federal law requires agencies to respond to within 20 working days. While responses can take longer due to backlogs, high request volumes, or the need for extensive searches or consultations, Democracy Forward says HHS has failed to provide any substantive response.
Democracy Forward’s four unanswered FOIA requests, and the subsequent lawsuit against HHS, come days after someone in the Trump-Vance administration changed Levine’s official portrait in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building to display her deadname — the name she used before transitioning and has not used since 2011.
According to Democracy Forward, HHS “refused to release any records related to its morally wrong and offensive effort to alter former Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine’s official portrait caption.” Levine was the highest-ranking openly transgender government official in U.S. history and served as assistant secretary for health and as an admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps from 2021 to 2025.
Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman spoke about the need to hold the Trump-Vance administration accountable for every official action, especially those that harm some of the most targeted Americans, including trans people.
“The question every American should be asking remains: what is the Trump-Vance administration hiding? For an administration that touts its anti-transgender animus and behavior so publicly, its stonewalling and silence when it comes to the people’s right to see public records about who was behind this decision is deafening,” Perryman said.
“The government’s obligation of transparency doesn’t disappear because the information sought relates to a trailblazing former federal official who is transgender. It’s not complicated — the public is entitled to know who is making decisions — especially decisions that seek to alter facts and reality, erase the identity of a person, and affect the nation’s commitment to civil rights and human dignity.”
“HHS’s refusal to respond to these lawful requests raises more serious concerns about transparency and accountability,” Perryman added. “The public has every right to demand answers — to know who is behind this hateful act — and we are going to court to get them.”
The lawsuit also raises questions about whether the alteration violated federal accuracy and privacy requirements governing Levine’s name, and whether the agency improperly classified the change as an “excepted activity” during a lapse in appropriations. By failing to make any determination or produce any records, Democracy Forward argues, HHS has violated its obligations under federal law.
The case, Democracy Forward Foundation v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The legal team includes Anisha Hindocha, Daniel McGrath, and Robin Thurston.
The Washington Blade reached out to HHS, but has not received any comment.
The lawsuit and four FOIA requests are below:
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