Trump nominates Jay Bhattacharya for NIH director position

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Jay Bhattacharya, a physician and economist, to be the next director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This nomination was announced via Trump's Truth Social post. Bhattacharya aims to shift the NIH's focus towards innovative research and reduce the influence of long-serving officials. He has previously criticized the federal COVID-19 response and called for changes in the agency's leadership structure. The Senate must confirm Bhattacharya's nomination, which will take place when Republicans hold a majority starting in January. His nomination follows Trump's selection of other health officials, including Marty Makary for the Food and Drug Administration.