'Scaring the hell out of us!' Trump official under fire in tense all-hands meeting

By Céline Gounder and Eric Harkleroad / Photos by Eric Harkleroad March 25, 2026

President Donald Trump will soon nominate a permanent director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its acting chief, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, told agency employees at a Wednesday staff meeting.

According to a recording obtained by KFF Health News, Bhattacharya at one point suggested to CDC staff that Trump could name a new leader for the agency as soon as Thursday.