The White House is withdrawing President Trump’s nomination of former Congressman Dave Weldon from Florida to be the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to an anonymous source on Thursday, March 13th.
Weldon, a doctor, is known for his anti-abortion and vaccine-critical views. He was scheduled to appear at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Thursday. The committee confirmed that the nomination has been withdrawn, and the hearing has been canceled.
The anonymous source indicated that Weldon was unlikely to receive the necessary votes for confirmation in the Senate. A recent change in Congress requires Senate confirmation of CDC director nominees, whereas previous nominees could assume their roles after being nominated.
This marks the first time the Trump administration has withdrawn a nomination. The decision comes amid measles outbreaks in several U.S. states, with escalating situations in West Texas and New Mexico resulting in two deaths. Additionally, the U.S. is facing the threat of avian flu.
The CDC, headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for tracking and responding to domestic and international public health threats. Its annual budget is $17.3 billion, with approximately two-thirds of the funding allocated to state and local health agencies for public health and prevention activities.
During his time in Congress, Weldon questioned studies verifying the safety of childhood vaccines, claiming they are harmful and linked to autism. His stance has been supported by current U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. Currently, the CDC is planning to research the relationship between autism and vaccines.
(This article is based on a report from Reuters)