Trump administration withdraws nomination of David Weldon for CDC director

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has withdrawn the information of Dr. David Weldon, a erstwhile Florida congressman, to pb the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Senate wellness committee announced Thursday greeting that it was canceling a planned proceeding connected Weldon's information due to the fact that of the withdrawal.

A idiosyncratic acquainted with the matter, who spoke connected the information of anonymity to sermon interior deliberations, said the White House pulled the information due to the fact that it became wide Weldon did not person the votes for confirmation.

Weldon was considered to beryllium intimately aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. wellness caput who for years has been 1 of the nation’s starring anti-vaccine activists.

A erstwhile Florida congressman, Weldon besides has been a salient professional of vaccines and the CDC, which promotes vaccines and monitors their safety.

Sen. Patty Murray said she had superior concerns astir Weldon aft gathering with him.

“I was profoundly disturbed to perceive Dr. Weldon repetition debunked claims astir vaccines,” the Washington Democrat said successful a statement. “It’s unsafe to enactment idiosyncratic successful complaint astatine CDC who believes the prevarication that our rigorously tested puerility vaccine docket is someway exposing kids to toxic levels of mercury oregon causing autism.

Weldon becomes the 3rd Trump medication nominee who didn’t marque it to a confirmation hearing. Previously, erstwhile U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from information for lawyer wide and Chad Chronister for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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Stobbe reported from New York.

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