Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya Pledges to Stabilize Beleaguered CDC Amid Workforce Fears and Looming "Schedule F" Reclassification

Jay Bhattacharya tells CDC staff a new permanent director is coming soon, as employees express "terror" over Trump's Schedule F reclassification plan.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 9:16 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from KFF Health News

Navigating a Leadership Vacuum at the Nation’s Health Agency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) remains in a state of administrative limbo as the White House continues its search for a permanent director. Jay Bhattacharya, who currently serves as both the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the acting chief of the CDC, informed staff that a formal nomination from President Donald Trump could arrive as early as Thursday. However, reports suggest the administration may delay the appointment due to the complexities of the Senate confirmation process. Despite the expiration of his official acting term, Bhattacharya confirmed he will remain at the helm to provide "leadership stability," noting that nearly every top-level position within the agency is currently filled by an "acting" official rather than a permanent appointee.

A Workforce Bracing for "Schedule F" and Policy Shifts

The most significant source of tension during the staff meeting involved the potential implementation of "Schedule F," a policy aimed at reclassifying thousands of federal employees to strip them of civil service protections. CDC staffers expressed being "terrified" that the move would allow the administration to fire experts at will, potentially leading to a massive drain of internal expertise. Bhattacharya deflected specific questions on the policy, labeling the fight as "above his level," but emphasized his goal of making the agency’s work resilient to political retaliation. He argued that "depoliticizing" the CDC would allow scientists to address difficult public health issues without the fear of being fired for their findings.

Healing from a Year of Institutional Trauma

Bhattacharya’s remarks were framed against a backdrop of extreme institutional trauma. Over the past year, the CDC has endured multiple waves of layoffs and a fatal shooting at its Atlanta campus in August, which resulted in the death of a police officer. Acknowledging these "demoralizing" conditions, the acting director stated that his priority is leaving the agency in a "solid, secure place" to move past the turmoil of 2025. However, some staff members remained skeptical, with one employee pointedly noting that the specialized teams at the CDC are capable of running the agency’s essential functions even in the absence of a formal director.