Acting head of the CDC will be Jay Bhattacharya, a move that follows the earlier departure of acting director Jim O’Neill this week and places Bhattacharya in charge during President Trump’s second term.

Bhattacharya, a health economist and Stanford professor, is known for the Great Barrington Declaration and has testified before Congress about vaccine policy and related censorship concerns.

This appointment would make Bhattacharya the third CDC leader in Trump’s second term, following Monarez’s dismissal and ongoing leadership turnover.

The report highlights the timing of the announcements and notes coverage from The New York Times and Politico about the individuals involved.

Bhattacharya has been linked to Kennedy administration efforts and has a public history of vaccine skepticism in some circles.

Observers note his history of skepticism toward vaccines and public criticisms of figures like Fauci and Collins, with concerns about how that may shape vaccine guidance.

Context in the piece emphasizes Bhattacharya’s goal to restore trust in federal health policy, with CNN journalists cited as sources.

Colleagues describe Bhattacharya as potentially a figurehead who could advance an administration agenda, with some fearing he might rubber-stamp Kennedy’s vaccine policies.

Adjacent political content places the leadership changes amid a broader political environment around Trump, protests, and polling.

The broader strategy aims to align Republican healthcare priorities and HHS efforts with the White House ahead of the 2026 midterms.

During a Senate hearing, Bhattacharya defended measles vaccination as the best way to address the outbreak and testified that he found no evidence linking any single vaccine to autism.