Trump names his picks for FDA, CDC and surgeon general
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced his choices to lead the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as his pick for the surgeon general post.
Trump, 78, nominated Dr. Marty Makary – a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and contributor for The Post – to serve as FDA commissioner.
Makary has been an outspoken critic of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, accusing White House officials of pushing “unsupported claims” about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and risks the virus poses.
In his announcement, Trump said that the FDA “has lost the trust of Americans and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator.”
“The Agency needs Dr. Marty Makary, a Highly Respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the Agency,” the president-elect said.
Makary has also railed against the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the influence pharmaceutical and insurance companies have over physicians and federal agencies.
Trump indicated that Makary will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services – to “properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation’s food supply and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation’s youth, so that we can finally address the Childhood Chronic Disease Epidemic.”
The president-elect touted Makary’s devotion to “improving Medical Quality and lowering Hospital and Drug Costs for all Americans” and his advocacy for “Healthcare Transparency.”
Makary has written hundreds of scientific articles and several books on healthcare.
“I am confident that Dr. Makary, having dedicated his career to High-Quality, Lower-Cost Care, will restore FDA to the Gold Standard of Scientific Research, and cut the bureaucratic red tape at the Agency to make sure Americans get the Medical Cures and Treatments they deserve,” Trump said.
Trump also selected former Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) to head the CDC on Friday.
The agency has come under fire from Republicans in Congress since the pandemic over its “inconsistent and flawed” guidance on masking, lockdowns, vaccines and boosters and the threat of COVID-19 to children. The agency has also been accused of withholding data about COVID-19 vaccines from Congress.
Weldon, a doctor and Army veteran, served seven terms in the House of Representatives before opting to not seek re-election in 2008.
“Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in our Federal Health Authorities, who have engaged in censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation,” Trump said of the embattled agency. “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.”
“The current Health of Americans is critical, and CDC will play a big role in helping to ensure Americans have the tools and resources they need to understand the underlying causes of disease, and the solutions to cure these diseases.”
Trump indicated that Weldon “will prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards” at the agency and “proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make America Healthy Again!”
Rounding out Trump’s end of the week selections for health posts is Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, whom he tapped to serve as surgeon general.
Nesheiwat is a Fox News medical contributor and the medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care clinics in New York and New Jersey.
Trump lauded Nesheiwat’s “unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives,” describing her as a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health.”
“She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives,” the president-elect continued, noting that Nesheiwat “worked on the front lines in New York City” at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Her expertise and leadership have been pivotal during some of the most challenging Healthcare crises of our time,” Trump said. “Dr. Janette provided on-the-ground medical treatment to Americans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornadoes. She is also a member of Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance, Relief Team, and has provided lifesaving care during crises in Morocco, Haiti, and Poland.”
“Dr. Nesheiwat will play a pivotal role in MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!”