This week in Washington (15 images)

President Donald Trump taps Vice President Mike Pence to lead the coronavirus response. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar testifies to Congress about the budget and efforts to contain the virus. And climate activists protest a pipeline outside the U.S. Supreme Court, among the highlights of the week of February 24, 2020 in Washington, D.C.

Azar testified during a House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill. "From a public health perspective, we are technically in a state of containment in the U.S.," he said. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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Pompeo holds a news conference at the U.S. State Department on Tuesday. Pompeo said the United States will begin to withdraw troops from Afghanistan if violence continues to diminish. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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Pompeo also announced sanctions against 13 foreign entities and individuals in China, Iraq, Russia and Turkey for support of Iran's missile program. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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Climate activist group Friends of the Earth participates in a demonstration against Dominion Energy's Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Virginia, at the Supreme Court on Monday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

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