Trump's health leadership picks face challenge of separating politics from science

President-elect Donald Trump has announced his picks for key health leadership roles: Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general, Dr. David Weldon as CDC director, and Dr. Marty Makary as FDA commissioner. Each nominee will face Senate confirmation hearings. Experts have expressed mixed reactions to the selections. While Nesheiwat and Makary are seen as competent, concerns have been raised about Weldon’s past views on vaccines, which could complicate his role at the CDC. Keeping politics separate from science is a significant challenge for the new leaders. The CDC director position will now require Senate confirmation, a change from previous appointments. This shift raises questions about how much influence Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a controversial figure, may have over health policy if confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.