NIH Director Bhattacharya to Temporarily Lead CDC

Trump administration seeks permanent CDC director after firing previous head

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The director of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, will also temporarily become the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to an anonymous administration official. This comes after the Trump administration abruptly fired the previous CDC director, Susan Monarez, last summer for refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without data to support them.

Why it matters

The CDC is the nation's top public health agency, and its leadership has been in flux during the Trump administration's second term. Bhattacharya, a health economist who has been critical of COVID-19 policies, will now be tasked with overseeing the CDC's operations and public health guidance.

The details

Bhattacharya will be the third leader of the CDC during President Trump's second term. The previous director, Susan Monarez, was fired last summer after refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without supporting data. Deputy Health Secretary Jim O'Neill had been serving as the acting CDC director before his reported departure last week.

  • In the summer of 2025, the Trump administration fired then-CDC Director Susan Monarez.
  • Last week, Deputy Health Secretary Jim O'Neill departed his role as acting CDC director.

The players

Jay Bhattacharya

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

Susan Monarez

The previous CDC director who was fired by the Trump administration last summer for refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without data to support them.

Jim O'Neill

The former Deputy Health Secretary who had been serving as the acting CDC director before his reported departure last week.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The current Health Secretary who abruptly fired then-CDC Director Susan Monarez last summer.

Donald Trump

The current President of the United States, serving his second term.

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What they’re saying

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

— Jay Bhattacharya, NIH Director (Senate hearing)

What’s next

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

The takeaway

The leadership of the CDC, the nation's top public health agency, has been in flux during the Trump administration's second term, raising concerns about the agency's stability and ability to provide consistent public health guidance.