Trump taps Covid lockdown sceptic Jay Bhattacharya to lead US health agency

Jay Bhattacharya, alongside controversial appointees like vaccine sceptic Robert Kennedy Jr and surgeon Marty Makary, is expected to challenge conventional public health approaches

US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Jay Bhattacharya, a prominent critic of Covid-19 lockdowns and a Stanford University-trained physician and economist, as the next director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH, the world’s largest government-funded biomedical research agency, will now be led by a figure known for challenging the public health establishment’s pandemic response.

 

Announcing his decision, Trump said Bhattacharya would spearhead efforts to “restore the NIH to a gold standard of medical research” and address America’s most pressing health challenges, including chronic illnesses.

 

Bhattacharya expressed his gratitude on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again!”

 

 

Bhattacharya’s rise to prominence

 

Bhattacharya became widely known during the Covid-19 pandemic as the co-author of the controversial Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter in October 2020 that criticised lockdowns and advocated focused protection for vulnerable populations. The declaration sparked intense debate, drawing both praise and criticism. Then-NIH director Francis Collins labelled it “dangerous” and referred to its authors as “fringe experts,” while others commended it as a sensible approach to managing the crisis.

 

A vocal critic of Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bhattacharya has consistently questioned the efficacy of lockdowns and other public health measures implemented during the pandemic.

 

Trump’s public health vision

 

Bhattacharya’s nomination aligns with Trump’s broader efforts to reshape the US public health landscape. Trump, who has announced all 15 cabinet appointments ahead of his January 20 inauguration, has signalled a departure from conventional public health strategies in favour of reform and alternative approaches.

 

Notably, Trump has selected Robert Kennedy Jr, a former rival and vaccine sceptic, to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy’s appointment, alongside Bhattacharya, underscores a focus on rebuilding trust in public health institutions.

 

“We will examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest health challenges,” Trump said in a statement.

 

Trump’s controversial team

 

Trump’s health leadership nominations feature figures who have often questioned mainstream public health policies:

 

• Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon who opposed Covid vaccine mandates, will lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

• Dave Weldon, a physician and former Republican congressman sceptical of vaccine safety, is Trump’s pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

• Dr Mehmet Oz, the TV personality, has been nominated to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

 

• Jim O’Neill, a former federal health official and ally of conservative donor Peter Thiel, will become deputy secretary of the health department.

 

These appointments, pending Senate confirmation, highlight Trump’s intent to reform US public health agencies. However, they have drawn criticism. For instance, Trump’s nomination of Dr Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general has divided his conservative base due to her earlier support for masking schoolchildren and her opposition to abortion restrictions.