N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up
•February 18, 2026
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Why It Matters
Dual leadership consolidates influence over U.S. health policy during a politically sensitive election cycle, potentially reshaping CDC priorities and pandemic response strategies.
Key Takeaways
- •Bhattacharya holds NIH and acting CDC roles.
- •Appointment follows O'Neill's departure to NSF nomination.
- •Great Barrington Declaration author leads CDC temporarily.
- •Senate confirmation required for permanent CDC director.
- •Leadership changes align with 2026 midterm health focus.
Pulse Analysis
Jay Bhattacharya’s temporary stewardship of the CDC marks a rare convergence of two of the nation’s most powerful health agencies under a single leader. Known for co‑authoring the Great Barrington Declaration, Bhattacharya rose to prominence during the COVID‑19 pandemic by advocating targeted protection over blanket lockdowns. His academic background in medical economics and recent transition from Stanford to the Trump administration provide him with a data‑driven perspective that could influence the CDC’s epidemiological modeling and resource allocation decisions.
The dual‑role appointment arrives at a politically charged moment, with the 2026 midterms poised to make public‑health policy a decisive electoral issue. By retaining NIH oversight while steering the CDC, Bhattacharya is positioned to align research funding with disease‑control initiatives, potentially accelerating vaccine development pipelines and streamlining inter‑agency communication. However, the temporary nature of his CDC tenure, pending Senate confirmation of a permanent director, introduces uncertainty that could affect ongoing initiatives such as influenza surveillance and emerging pathogen preparedness.
Beyond immediate policy shifts, this leadership shuffle underscores a broader trend of politicized health governance. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s involvement signals an aggressive re‑branding of the Department of Health and Human Services, aiming to restore public confidence after a series of rapid turnovers. Stakeholders—from biotech firms to state health officials—will watch closely how Bhattacharya balances his NIH responsibilities with CDC oversight, as his decisions may set precedents for future cross‑agency leadership models and influence the strategic direction of U.S. public‑health infrastructure.
N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will serve as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention until President Trump appoints a permanent director.
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Feb. 18, 2026 · Updated 1:33 p.m. ET
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, will serve as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two administration officials said on Wednesday.
Dr. Bhattacharya will continue to run the N.I.H., according to the officials, who insisted on anonymity to speak about personnel decisions before President Trump announces them. He will serve until Mr. Trump appoints a permanent director — a position that now requires confirmation by the Senate.
The C.D.C. has run through a series of leaders since Mr. Trump returned to the White House last year.
Dr. Bhattacharya will replace Jim O’Neill, who had been serving as deputy health secretary until he left the health department last Friday. Mr. O’Neill will be nominated by Mr. Trump to lead the National Science Foundation, the officials said. He had been the acting C.D.C. director since last August, when Mr. Kennedy ousted the C.D.C.’s Senate‑confirmed director, Susan Monarez, after she had spent less than a month in the position.
The temporary appointment of Dr. Bhattacharya, a physician and medical economist who left Stanford University to join the Trump administration, comes amid a leadership shake‑up at the Department of Health and Human Services initiated by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the White House. The effort is partly in anticipation of health policy being front and center in this year’s midterm elections.
What you should know. The Times makes a careful decision any time it uses an anonymous source. The information the source supplies must be newsworthy and give readers genuine insight.
Dr. Bhattacharya drew the spotlight during the coronavirus pandemic as an author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which advocated an end to Covid lockdowns in favor of letting the virus spread among young healthy people while government resources were directed toward the elderly and vulnerable.
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