NIH's Bhattacharya to Temporarily Lead CDC as Trump Administration Searches for Permanent Director

The National Institutes of Health director will also oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the transition.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The director of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, will temporarily become the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to an administration official. This comes after the previous CDC director, Susan Monarez, was abruptly fired last summer by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without supporting data.

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, who has been critical of COVID-19 shutdowns and vaccine policies, will now be tasked with overseeing the CDC as the administration searches for a permanent director.

The details

Bhattacharya, a health economist and Stanford University professor, will take on the additional role of acting CDC director while continuing to lead the NIH. This comes after the previous acting CDC director, Jim O'Neill, a former investor, departed the role last week. The administration says it plans to find a permanent CDC director, a position that requires Senate confirmation.

  • Last summer, then-CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  • Last week, the previous acting CDC director, Jim O'Neill, departed the role.

The players

Jay Bhattacharya

The director of the National Institutes of Health, 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 by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for refusing to sign off on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without supporting data.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health Secretary who fired the previous CDC director, Susan Monarez.

Jim O'Neill

The previous acting CDC director, a former investor, who departed the role 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)

What’s next

The Trump administration says it plans to find a permanent CDC director, a position that requires Senate confirmation.

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 direction as it navigates ongoing public health challenges.