White House Withdraws CDC Nominee Over Vaccine Safety Stance

Dave Weldon's nomination was pulled due to bipartisan opposition to his vaccine skepticism, highlighting tensions in U.S. vaccination policy under RFK Jr.'s leadership.

Dave Weldon, a physician and former congressman, was removed as the nominee for CDC director hours before his Senate confirmation hearing due to bipartisan concerns over his vaccine-skeptic views.
Weldon has a history of questioning vaccine safety, including claims about links between vaccines and autism, which have been thoroughly debunked by scientific research.
The decision comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also known for vaccine skepticism, begins implementing policies that critics say undermine public confidence in vaccines.
Kennedy's actions include ending NIH research into combating vaccine hesitancy and initiating studies on debunked vaccine-autism links, which experts warn could erode trust in vaccines further.
The withdrawal of Weldon's nomination raises questions about the future direction of U.S. vaccination policy, especially as a measles outbreak spreads and vaccine hesitancy grows.