Trump names nominees to lead CDC, FDA, and his pick for surgeon general

President-elect Donald Trump says he’s nominating Dave Weldon, a physician and former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump announced the nomination Friday night. The choice of Weldon comes as Trump has been filling key health posts along with the rest of his Cabinet.

"As a father of two and a husband of 45 years, Dave understands American Family Values, and views Health as one of utmost importance," Trump said on Truth Social. "Dave will prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC. Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make America Healthy Again!"

Weldon served seven terms in the House of Representatives, from 1995 to 2009. A physician of internal medicine, Weldon served in the U.S. Army from 1981 through 1987, and he served in the Army Reserves from 1987 through 1992.

While Weldon brings credentials as a physician to the role, Weldon has questioned vaccines in the past, including the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Politico reported. As a member of Congress, Weldon supported the theory “that a vaccine preservative had caused a spike in autism cases around the world — a claim that has been debunked by scientists,” The Washington Post reported.

As head of the CDC, Weldon would serve under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Kennedy has routinely spread vaccine misinformation and said no vaccine is safe, alarming public health officials who worry Trump could undermine confidence in vaccines and damage public health.

Trump characterized the choice of Weldon as a way to restore trust in the CDC.

"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.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, said in a post on X that he has “firmly advocated for reforming the CDC. I look forward to learning about Doctor Weldon’s vision for the CDC.” Cassidy will lead the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee starting next year.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, said on X that Weldon “will bring an exceptional skillset and much-needed change to the CDC!”

Also late Friday, Trump nominated Dr. Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration. As the Associated Press reports, “Makary has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators.”

Makary is a surgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins University. Trump said Makary is well-suited to "course-correct and refocus" the FDA. Trump said he would work with Kennedy to evaluate harmful chemicals in food and drugs and biologics given to young people.

Trump also said he was nominating Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a former Fox News medical contributor, for Surgeon General. Trump called Nesheiwat “a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health.”

Earlier this week, Trump named Dr. Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon and longtime talk show host, as his nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Critics note that Oz has no experience running a large government agency.

Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, a former White House adviser for health policy under President Barack Obama, voiced the concerns many health leaders have had about public health with Trump's return to the Oval Office.

In a commentary for The BMJ, he wrote, "Difficult times lie ahead for the US, as it faces an administration that shows little regard for the expertise of physicians, nurses, public health experts, and researchers to address health and healthcare problems."

Jerome Adams, MD, who served as surgeon general in Trump's first term, sounded a warning Saturday in a post on X. He pointed out that H5N1 is "steamrolling" toward pandemic status, whooping cough cases have risen five-fold in the past year, and there are 100,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among kids.

"The new administration had better have a strong infectious disease response plan- and had better ensure public health and vaccine confidence stays high. Or they’ll be distracted with outbreaks for 4 years this time instead of 1," Adams wrote.