White House picks Kennedy deputy Jim O’Neill to replace fired CDC chief

The White House has selected Jim O'Neill, the deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to temporarily lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as its interim director. This decision comes after the firing of the previous CDC director, Susan Monarez, whose lawyers have claimed she will not depart unless President Trump himself removes her. The move is seen as giving Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known critic of mainstream vaccine policies, an ally in his efforts to overhaul the US vaccine policy. The choice of O'Neill, a deputy of Kennedy, has raised concerns among public health experts about the potential impact on the CDC's operations and its role in addressing public health issues. The article highlights the ongoing standoff between the White House and the ousted CDC director, and the potential implications of the new interim leadership on the agency's policies and response to public health challenges.