CDC's acting chief promises a return to stability in a tumultuous moment

**Summary** Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Director serving as CDC acting chief, told agency employees on Wednesday that President Trump will soon nominate a permanent CDC director, potentially as soon as Thursday. Bhattacharya acknowledged the agency's difficult year marked by multiple rounds of job losses and an August attack on the CDC's Atlanta campus that killed a police officer, pledging to stabilize leadership and fill vacant roles. Though his official acting director position was set to expire Wednesday, Bhattacharya will continue leading the agency until a permanent director is confirmed, while news outlets reported the administration was postponing the permanent appointment due to Senate confirmation challenges and political pressures. CDC staff pressed Bhattacharya on staffing losses, morale, job security, and Trump's World Health Organization withdrawal decision.