The White House has withdrawn Dr. David Weldon’s nomination for CDC director due to his controversial stance on vaccins, dealing a blow to the administration’s health agency appointee selection process.
Key Insights
- Dr. Weldon’s nomination was pulled after it became clear there was insufficient Senate support for confirmation.
- His previous statements regarding vaccine safety and legislation to ban mercury from vaccines sparked significant opposition.
- This was historically significant as the first time a CDC director nominee required Senate confirmation.
- The withdrawal occurred amid a current US measles outbreak, heightening concerns about his vaccine skepticism.
- Other Trump health agency nominations, including Dr. Jay Bhattacharya for NIH and Dr. Marty Makary for FDA, continue to advance.
Nomination Pulled After Senate Support Collapses
The White House officially withdrew the nomination of Dr. David Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after determining there was insufficient Senate support for his confirmation. Weldon, a former Florida congressman and medical doctor, had been scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday, but the hearing was abruptly canceled. The decision came after mounting concerns about Weldon’s previous statements regarding vaccine safety.
JUST IN – White House withdraws Dr. David Weldon's nomination as CDC director before confirmation hearing. Weldon questioned potential links between vaccines and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, like autism, and introduced legislation to ban mercury in vaccines — Fox News pic.twitter.com/WjTkT9bgUG
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 13, 2025
Vaccine Safety Concerns Central to Opposition
At the heart of the controversy were Weldon’s past statements questioning potential links between vaccines and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. During his time in Congress, Weldon introduced legislation aimed at banning mercury from vaccines and co-authored a “vaccine safety bill” with Rep. Carolyn Maloney. The bill sought to establish an independent agency dedicated to vaccine safety research, separate from federal agencies that promote vaccination.
His nomination came at a particularly sensitive time, occurring alongside a measles outbreak in the United States. Critics argued that appointing someone with a history of questioning vaccines to lead the nation’s primary public health agency would send a dangerous message about immunization at a critical moment for public health.
Strong Democratic Opposition
Democratic lawmakers voiced significant concerns about Weldon’s nomination from the start. Senator Patty Murray was particularly vocal about her opposition following a meeting with the nominee. Murray expressed alarm at what she characterized as dangerous views that could undermine public health if Weldon were to lead the CDC, especially during an active measles outbreak.
Other Health Agency Nominations Proceeding
While Weldon’s nomination has been withdrawn, other key health agency appointments continue to advance. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya’s nomination to lead the National Institutes of Health has received committee approval and awaits a full Senate vote. Similarly, Dr. Marty Makary is moving forward in the confirmation process to become FDA commissioner after a favorable Senate panel vote.
This marks a significant moment in public health leadership as it represents the first time in history that a CDC director nominee required Senate confirmation. Previously, CDC directors were appointed directly by the administration without the need for a formal confirmation process. The increased scrutiny reflects the heightened political attention on public health agencies following the pandemic.
Sources:
- White House pulls nomination of David Weldon as CDC director
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- White House pulls CDC nominee because they didn’t have the votes: Sources
