President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that Dr. Dave Weldon, a former congressman and physician, has been nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In his statement, Trump criticized federal health authorities and noted the need to rebuild public trust.
“Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in our Federal Health Authorities, who have engaged in censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation,” Trump said. “Given the current chronic health crisis in our country, the CDC must step up and correct past errors to focus on the prevention of disease.”
The appointment places Weldon, 71, at the helm of the nation’s premier public health agency, which has a $17.3 billion budget and serves as a global model for disease prevention and control.
“Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose and will work to end the chronic disease epidemic,” Trump said.
Weldon, a medical doctor with 40 years of experience and an Army veteran, is expected to bring a blend of medical expertise and legislative experience to the role.
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Weldon represented Florida’s 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009 before stepping away from politics. During his time in Congress, he focused on fiscal and social issues, including oversight of health agencies like the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
He would replace Dr. Mandy Cohen, who previously led North Carolina’s response to COVID-19 as chief of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.
The CDC is responsible for tracking and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, including providing vaccine recommendations through the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The agency also manages a wide range of public health initiatives, with nearly two-thirds of its budget supporting state and local health efforts.
One of the CDC director’s key responsibilities is reviewing ACIP’s vaccine recommendations. This role drew increased scrutiny during the COVID-19 pandemic. The director’s decisions on these recommendations have broad implications for public health policies nationwide.
This shift in oversight coincides with Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, a vocal vaccine skeptic and critic of the CDC, will oversee the agency in his new capacity.
The CDC, which employs roughly 12,000 full-time staff and operates with a $9.248 billion discretionary budget for 2024, continues to play a critical role in the nation’s response to health crises.
Reuters contributed to this report.
