NIH Director Bhattacharya to Temporarily Lead CDC

Trump administration seeks permanent CDC director after previous dismissal of Susan Monarez

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily become the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an administration official confirmed. Bhattacharya will be the third leader of the CDC during President Donald Trump's second term, after the previous director, Susan Monarez, was abruptly fired last summer.

Why it matters

The CDC is the nation's top public health agency, and its leadership has been in flux during the Trump administration. Bhattacharya's appointment as acting director comes as the administration looks to find a permanent replacement for the role.

The details

Bhattacharya, a health economist and Stanford University professor, was an outspoken critic of the government's COVID-19 shutdowns and vaccine policies. At the NIH, he oversees the largest public funder of biomedical research. The previous CDC director, Susan Monarez, was fired last summer after she refused to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule requested by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. without data to back them up.

  • Monarez was fired as CDC director less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate last summer.
  • Jim O'Neill, a former investor, had been serving as the acting CDC director and overseeing vaccine changes before his reported departure last week.

The players

Jay Bhattacharya

The National Institutes of Health Director who will temporarily become the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Susan Monarez

The previous CDC director who was abruptly fired last summer after refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without data to back them up.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health Secretary who requested changes to the childhood vaccination schedule that led to the dismissal of the previous CDC director.

Jim O'Neill

The former investor who had been serving as the acting CDC director and overseeing vaccine changes before his reported departure last week.

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What they’re saying

“Childhood measles vaccination was 'the best way to address the measles epidemic in this country,' and I've seen no evidence linking any single vaccine to autism.”

— Jay Bhattacharya, NIH Director (Senate hearing)

“My dismissal came after I refused to sign off on Kennedy's requested changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without data to back them up.”

— Susan Monarez, Former CDC Director (Senate committee testimony)

What’s next

The Trump administration has said it plans to find a permanent CDC director, a job that requires confirmation by the Senate.

The takeaway

The CDC's leadership has been in flux during the Trump administration, raising concerns about the stability and direction of the nation's top public health agency. Bhattacharya's appointment as acting director comes as the administration seeks a permanent replacement, underscoring the ongoing challenges facing the CDC.