Senate Confirms Trump’s National Institutes of Health Nominee

Senate Approves Trump’s Pick for National Institutes of Health Chief
The Senate has confirmed health researcher Jay Bhattacharya as the new head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The vote, split largely along party lines, ended in a 53-47 decision, as reported by The Hill.

Bhattacharya gained widespread recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for opposing mask mandates, school closures, and other restrictive measures aimed at curbing the virus's spread.

He was a key contributor to the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 statement endorsed by thousands of public health professionals, which promoted the idea of achieving herd immunity by allowing the virus to spread among lower-risk, younger populations while prioritizing protection for high-risk groups such as the elderly.

Federal health officials, including former NIH Director Francis Collins and senior COVID adviser Anthony Fauci, strongly criticized the declaration, calling it both “dangerous” and “unethical,” The Hill further noted.

Bhattacharya, who is both a Stanford physician and economist, has stated that his stance on COVID-19 policies led to his alienation within the scientific community. He has pledged to guide the NIH in a manner that encourages open scientific debate, a principle he considers essential to progress in research.

“Dissent is the very essence of science. I will foster a culture where NIH leadership will actively encourage different perspectives and create an environment where scientists — including early career scientists — can express disagreement respectfully,” Bhattacharya emphasized during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.

As the incoming NIH director, Bhattacharya will oversee the world’s largest source of biomedical research funding. The NIH distributes approximately $48 billion annually through about 50,000 grants to more than 300,000 researchers across 2,500 institutions, including universities and hospitals.

In recent years, the agency has faced major disruptions under the Trump administration, including widespread staff dismissals, funding freezes, and grant restrictions, The Hill reported. Additionally, the White House has reduced grants to private universities by $4 billion and cut funding for programs focused on racial disparities and transgender healthcare.

During his hearing, Bhattacharya acknowledged the growing politicization of science and public health, noting that many Americans have lost confidence in health authorities.

The NIH must prioritize research that is “replicable, reproducible, and generalizable,” Bhattacharya asserted. “Unfortunately, much of modern biomedical science fails this basic test.”

He also pledged to align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vision by shifting NIH’s focus away from infectious diseases and toward chronic health conditions.

“If confirmed, I will carry out President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again and committing the NIH to address the dire chronic health needs of the country with gold-standard science and innovation,” Bhattacharya affirmed.

Senate Also Confirms New Secretary of the Navy
On Monday, the Senate also approved John Phelan as the next Secretary of the Navy.

Phelan, a Florida-based businessman, private investment firm founder, and major donor to former President Trump’s campaign, was confirmed in a 62-30 vote. Despite his lack of military experience, Phelan managed to secure bipartisan backing, The Hill noted.

While his February 27 confirmation hearing drew no outright opposition, some lawmakers voiced concerns over his inexperience in both military service and Pentagon administration.

Phelan, however, argued that his extensive private-sector background equips him to tackle ongoing issues within the Navy, including repeated audit failures, personnel shortages, cost overruns, and shipbuilding delays.