On Friday, November 22nd, newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced his nomination of former Florida Republican Federal Congressman Dave Weldon to serve as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in his second term.
In a statement released on his social media platform, “Truth Social,” Trump expressed his excitement about the nomination, stating, “I am pleased to announce the nomination of former Congressman Dr. Dave Weldon to serve as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
At 71 years old, Weldon is a doctor and a retired Army veteran who served seven terms as a Federal Congressman, representing Florida’s 15th Congressional District from 1995 to 2009. In 2008, he decided not to seek re-election and resumed practicing medicine and taking on advisory roles after completing his term in January of the following year.
Trump emphasized the critical importance of the country’s current health conditions in his statement on Friday, highlighting the essential role that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will play in ensuring Americans have the necessary tools and resources to understand the root causes of diseases and find solutions for their treatment.
Established in 1946, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an agency with a budget of $17.3 billion and a public health model often emulated worldwide. The organization currently employs approximately 12,000 full-time staff members, with a discretionary budget for 2024 of $9.248 billion.
The agency tracks and responds to disease outbreaks, including recommending approved vaccines such as routine childhood vaccines and those utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC Director reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Trump has nominated former independent presidential candidate and environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve in this cabinet position.
In a departure from previous appointments, due to a provision in the recent comprehensive budget, starting in 2025, the CDC Director position will require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Weldon will take over the responsibilities of the current CDC Director Mandy Cohen, an internist who previously served as the Director of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.