NIH Director Temporarily Leads CDC Amid Leadership Shake-Up

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has been appointed as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until President Trump names a permanent director, signaling a leadership change within the agency.

18 Feb, 17:48 — 18 Feb, 18:51

Low (19/100)

2 sourcesNo spread1 region

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Why this matters

This story is significant because it signals instability and a major leadership transition at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a critical public health agency. Frequent changes in leadership can disrupt ongoing public health initiatives, affect the agency's ability to respond to health crises, and potentially erode public trust in its guidance and operations. The temporary nature of the appointment and the involvement of the NIH Director suggest an urgent need to stabilize the CDC's leadership.

ℹAll sources from US region

ℹOnly 2 sources cover this story

Perspective Analysis

AI-generated comparison of how 2 sources cover this story

Both outlets report that NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily lead the CDC amidst a leadership shake-up, largely aligning on the core event. However, they diverge on the specific context leading up to this appointment, particularly regarding the immediate predecessor and the authority responsible for the previous director's departure or the next permanent appointment.

Coverage matrix

	NYT	cnbc
The identity of the acting CDC director immediately before Dr. Bhattacharya's temporary role.
The identity of the HHS Secretary who fired the former CDC director.
The identity of the President who will appoint a permanent CDC director.

Covered Divergent Not mentioned

What sources agree on

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the NIH Director, will temporarily lead the CDC.
This appointment is part of a leadership shake-up at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Where they diverge

The identity and role of the acting CDC director immediately preceding Dr. Bhattacharya's temporary appointment.

cnbc

CNBC states that HHS Deputy Security Jim O'Neill is currently the acting CDC director, having taken over in August.

NYT

The New York Times does not mention an immediate predecessor, directly stating Dr. Bhattacharya will serve as acting director.

The authority responsible for the previous leadership changes or future appointments at the CDC.

cnbc

CNBC attributes the firing of the former director to HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

NYT

The New York Times states that President Trump will appoint a permanent director, without specifying who initiated the prior shake-up.

Key claims1 agreed · 4 unverified

✓

NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily run the CDC.

agreed·cnbcNYT

HHS Deputy Security Jim O'Neill is currently acting CDC director.

unverified·cnbc

Jim O'Neill took over as acting CDC director in August.

Coverage gaps

The identity of the acting CDC director immediately before Dr. Bhattacharya's temporary role.

Reportedcnbc

MissingNYT

The identity of the HHS Secretary who fired the former CDC director.

Reportedcnbc

MissingNYT

The identity of the President who will appoint a permanent CDC director.

ReportedNYT

Missingcnbc

Perspective Analysis

Comparing sources…

External Fact-Checks

Claims matched against human-vetted fact-check databases

✓Correct Attribution

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's acting director, Jim O'Neill, once said: "There are plenty of healthy, spare kidneys walking around unused."

Snopes·3 Sept 2025Read →

✓True

In August 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) immunization chief, Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis, posted a resignation letter denouncing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership of HHS and the CDC.

Snopes·29 Aug 2025Read →

How outlets covered this

Left-leaning

NYT

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

Center

cnbc

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

Right-leaning

No articles

Key entities

Dr. Jay BhattacharyaNIH Director, temporary acting CDC Director Centers for Disease Control and PreventionU.S. public health agency experiencing leadership changes National Institutes of HealthU.S. medical research agency Jim O'NeillHHS Deputy Security, former acting CDC director HHSDepartment of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.HHS Secretary President TrumpU.S. President responsible for appointing permanent CDC director

Coverage Timeline

First report: NYT · 18 Feb, 17:48|Full coverage: All 2 sources within 1h|Window: 1h

Left-leaningCenterRight-leaning

NYT18 Feb, 17:48First to report

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

1h later

cnbc18 Feb, 18:51Latest update

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

Read at source (2 outlets)

cnbc6d ago

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

HHS Deputy Security Jim O'Neill is currently acting CDC director, having taken over in August after HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the former director.

Read full article →

NYT6d ago

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

Read full article →

PERSPECTA

PERSPECTA

NIH Director Temporarily Leads CDC Amid Leadership Shake-Up

Why this matters

Perspective Analysis

Coverage matrix

What sources agree on

Where they diverge

Key claims1 agreed · 4 unverified

Coverage gaps

Perspective Analysis

External Fact-Checks

How outlets covered this

Left-leaning

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

Center

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

Right-leaning

Key entities

Coverage Timeline

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

Read at source (2 outlets)

NIH director Bhattacharya to temporarily run CDC

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

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PERSPECTA

Why this matters

Key entities

External Fact-Checks

Perspective Analysis

Coverage matrix

What sources agree on

Where they diverge

Key claims1 agreed · 4 unverified

Coverage gaps