White House weighs former deputy surgeon general to lead CDC

• A more mainstream nominee with a public health background like Schwartz could ease tensions between the administration and Congress over Kennedy's vaccine policies and sharp cuts to federal health agencies.

Driving the news: Kennedy and top Department of Health and Human Services official Chris Klomp settled on Schwartz after an extensive search, per multiple news reports. President Trump still has to sign off on the pick, and an announcement could come as soon as today.

• Schwartz was deputy surgeon general during the first Trump administration and spent 24 years in the uniformed service, becoming a rear admiral of the Coast Guard, where she served as the chief medical officer.
• She has an MD from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Maryland.

The CDC director's post is subject to Senate confirmation — a potentially heavy lift in an election year.

• The White House in March postponed the planned selection of a permanent director, leaving acting head Jay Bhattacharya overseeing the agency.
• The incoming director would face a demoralized workforce that's blamed Kennedy for spreading misinformation and dismantling the public health infrastructure.