Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acting chief Jay Bhattacharya told agency employees on March 25 that President Donald Trump may soon nominate a permanent director for the CDC. Bhattacharya, who is also the National Institutes of Health Director, addressed staff during a meeting and said Trump could name a new leader as early as Thursday. "But if not, I don't think much will change," he said.
The CDC has faced significant challenges over the past year, including job losses and an attack at its Atlanta campus in August that resulted in the death of a police officer and property damage. Bhattacharya acknowledged these difficulties, saying, "I want to acknowledge very honestly that I know that it has been such a difficult year for the CDC and for every single one of you here."
Bhattacharya said efforts are underway to fill leadership gaps within the agency. "We've made progress in filling key roles across the agency," he said. "Leadership stability is essential to delivering our mission." He added that his goal is to leave the CDC in "a solid, secure place" so it can operate without further turmoil.
During the meeting, staff raised questions about staffing losses, morale issues, job security, and Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. Addressing concerns about Schedule F—a policy change that could make it easier to fire federal workers—Bhattacharya responded: "The Schedule F fight's above my level." He emphasized his focus on supporting employees' work.
Bhattacharya called for depoliticizing public health work so all Americans see the CDC as working on their behalf: "When I say 'depoliticize,' I don’t mean you can’t say the hard or talk about the hard things," he said. "I mean that you’re free to talk about the hard things without fear that you're gonna be retaliated against." He also highlighted ongoing efforts around hiring delays and vaccine advocacy.
Looking ahead, Bhattacharya noted his interest in closer coordination between NIH and CDC on HIV prevention strategies. The search for a permanent director is being led by officials from Health and Human Services on behalf of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Bhattacharya described as having “a deep desire to make America healthy.” For now, he expects to remain at CDC until further notice.
