Administration officials confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Jim O’Neill, the current HHS Deputy Secretary, will become the acting CDC director until the White House announces a permanent director to be confirmed by the Senate.
O’Neill, a former biotech venture capitalist and former HHS undersecretary who is a prominent advocate of pursuing anti-aging technologies and accelerating drug approvals, was selected following a dramatic fallout between the Senate-confirmed CDC head Susan Monarez and Kennedy.
Monarez, Trump’s second choice to run the CDC, who started roughly a month ago, was abruptly terminated following a conflict with Kennedy over the decision to restrict COVID-19 vaccine approvals to only those over age 65 or with an underlying condition that makes them at risk for severe disease.
Four other top scientists at CDC resigned following Monarez’s termination, leaving the agency with a dearth of leadership.
O’Neill served as a senior HHS official in the George W. Bush administration before becoming a biomedical investor under the wing of Trump mega-donor Peter Thiel. During the first Trump administration, O’Neill was floated to be the Food and Drug Administration commissioner because of his significant work in modernizing the agency.
While working with Thiel, O’Neill invested in or advised more than 60 science and technology companies between leaving the public sector and 2023, when he joined the board of directors for Advantage Therapeutics.
Advantage Therapeutics specializes in neurodegenerative conditions, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and metabolic disease syndrome.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Neill criticized heavy-handed government policy on lockdowns, social media censorship, and poor communication with the public.
O’Neill told senators during his May confirmation hearing for the Deputy HHS position that he is “very strongly pro-vaccine” and is an advisor to a vaccine company. He was confirmed on entirely partisan lines in June.
As acting director, according to appointment rules, O’Neill cannot be nominated by Trump for the full directorship.
Monarez was the first CDC director to undergo the Senate confirmation process, following legislative changes after the pandemic.
