Trump Taps Jay Bhattacharya to Lead National Institutes of Health
US Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, 56, a Stanford University physician and economist, to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH)....
Facts
- US Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, 56, a Stanford University physician and economist, to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH).[1][2]
- The NIH — which has a $48B budget — oversees 27 institutes and centers focused on medical research and funding studies on vaccines, cancer, and other diseases nationwide.[3][4]
- Bhattacharya, who holds an MD and PhD in economics, co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration in October 2020. The declaration opposed COVID lockdowns and promoted natural immunity.[5][6]
- He has previously held positions as a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and an economist at the RAND Corporation, as well as being involved in a Supreme Court case regarding social media censorship.[1][7]
- Trump announced that Bhattacharya would work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee, to examine America's health challenges and chronic illness crisis.[8][9]
- The nomination will still require confirmation from the Senate — the Republicans will hold a majority in the chamber from January 2025.[3]
Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]Daily Wire, [3]New York Post, [4]New York Times, [5]USA Today, [6]Newsmax, [7]Guardian, [8]CBS and [9]Breitbart.
Narratives
- Republican narrative, as provided by Townhall and X. Following his appointment of RFK Jr., Trump's nomination of Dr. Bhattacharya will strengthen his health team exponentially. Unlike Fauci, who silenced experts, including Bhattacharya himself, Dr. Bhattacharya values real science and diverse voices. He'll ensure Americans are healthier by prioritizing evidence-based decisions and avoiding draconian mandates without proof.
- Democratic narrative, as provided by The New Republic and MSNBC. Trump's health cabinet picks, including Dr. Bhattacharya, signal a dangerous shift in public health policy. He promoted herd immunity by allowing COVID to spread unchecked, risking lives. Alongside vaccine skeptics like RFK Jr., this team undermines trust in science, prioritizes fringe views and could leave the US unprepared for future health crises.
