• Posted April 17, 2026

Trump Names CDC Director Pick

After months of leadership changes, President Donald Trump has chosen a new candidate to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The White House announced Thursday that Dr. Erica Schwartz, a physician and former deputy surgeon general, is the new nominee. 

"It is my Honor to nominate the incredibly talented Dr. Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH, as my Director of the CDC," the president wrote in a social media post. "Erica graduated from Brown University for College and Medical School, and served a distinguished career as a Doctor of Medicine in the United States Military, the Greatest and Most Powerful Force in the World, and then served as my Deputy Surgeon General during my First Term. She is a STAR!"

She still has to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

If approved, Schwartz would become the agency’s fourth leader in just over a year.

Schwartz is viewed by some as a more traditional pick. She has publicly supported vaccines, saying they're a key part of disease prevention, while her promotion of diet and exercise aligns with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s greater focus on chronic disease.

In a separate social media post, Kennedy said he looked forward to working with Schwartz “to restore trust, accountability, and scientific integrity at the @CDCgov so we can return it to its core mission and Make America Healthy Again,” The New York Times reported.

Many health officials welcomed Trump's choice.

“Health policy is political, but health itself should never be partisan,” Dr. Anne Zink, a former president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told The Times.

“To rebuild the trustworthiness of the CDC, the country needs leaders grounded in service, science and the public,” Zink added.

Some Kennedy allies weren't as supportive, however.

“Since she can’t even respect the right to and need for informed consent, there is little hope that she will respect the rights and needs of the vaccine injured,” Aaron Siri, a lawyer close to Kennedy, told The Times.

Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term and has more than 20 years of service across the U.S. Navy, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and U.S. Coast Guard. 

She holds degrees in engineering, medicine, public health and law.

If chosen, Schwartz would take over at a time of ongoing tension.

Last month, a federal judge blocked several changes to the childhood vaccination schedule made under Kennedy.

Alongside Schwartz’s nomination, the administration also announced additional CDC picks, including Sean Slovenski as deputy director and chief operating officer; Dr. Jennifer Shuford as chief medical officer and deputy director; and Dr. Sara Brenner as a senior adviser to Kennedy.

Dr. Brett Giroir, a former assistant secretary of health, had high praise for Schwartz.

“She’s not a wallflower, and she’s not afraid to speak truth to power,” Giroir told The Times.

“She’s really wicked smart, and is not subject to rumor and conspiracy theories,” he added. “I’m very pleased that a person with her experience, credentials and dedication to public health and prevention is a candidate for this position.”

More information

You can browse current CDC leadership on the agency's website.

SOURCE: The New York Times, April 16, 2026