The White House withdrew the nomination of David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The big picture: The Republican-controlled Senate health committee abruptly canceled a planned hearing on Weldon’s nomination just before it was scheduled to begin, indicating that Weldon did not have enough votes for confirmation.
- Dr. Weldon, 71, is an Army veteran and internal medicine doctor known for representing a central Florida district in Congress from 1995 to 2009.
- He was aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and advocated for research into autism’s causes while dismissing studies that disproved a link between childhood vaccines and autism, accusing the CDC of hindering relevant research.
Why it matters: The CDC, with a core budget of $9.2 billion, plays a critical role in protecting Americans from outbreaks and public health threats but has faced criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic for its handling of communications and pandemic response.
State of play: Weldon is the third nominee from the Trump administration who did not reach a confirmation hearing, following former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and Chad Chronister.
- Susan Monarez currently serves as the acting CDC director and is expected to continue in the role until a new director is confirmed.
