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Trump Administration Officials Take on Multiple Roles as Second Term Progresses
The Trump administration has continued its pattern of assigning additional job responsibilities to Cabinet members and senior officials, with National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya becoming the latest to take on multiple duties. Bhattacharya will temporarily lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while continuing to oversee the NIH, following the departure of Jim O’Neill.
Bhattacharya, a physician and former Stanford professor of medicine, was a prominent critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates. As one of the co-authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, he advocated for natural immunity for low-risk individuals rather than widespread vaccination requirements. During his tenure at NIH, he has defended certain funding cuts to academic research and staffing while promoting what he calls “gold standard science.”
“I think fundamentally what matters is do scientists have an idea that advances the scientific field they’re in?” Bhattacharya said during his confirmation testimony. “Do they have an idea that ends up addressing the health needs of Americans?”
This dual-role approach has become increasingly common in the current administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has drawn particular attention for his multiple positions. Initially confirmed as Secretary of State immediately after Trump’s inauguration, Rubio briefly served as director of the U.S. Administration for International Development and as acting archivist of the United States. He currently serves as interim national security advisor, a role he has held since May following Michael Waltz’s departure.
Democratic critics have questioned Rubio’s ability to effectively manage multiple high-level positions simultaneously. “There’s no way he can do that and do it well,” said Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia added, “I don’t know how anybody could do these two big jobs.”
The White House has defended this approach, with spokesperson Anna Kelly telling Fox News Digital, “President Trump has filled his administration with many qualified, talented individuals he trusts to manage many responsibilities.” The administration has also pointed to historical precedent, noting that former President Richard Nixon appointed Henry Kissinger to simultaneously serve as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor in 1973.
FBI Director Kash Patel briefly oversaw the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in February 2025 after the Biden-era director resigned. Patel was later replaced as acting ATF director by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll in April.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has managed crises including plane crashes and air traffic control issues while also serving as interim chief of NASA from July until mid-December, when commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman took over. Trump had initially nominated Isaacman but withdrew the nomination in May, citing a review of his “prior associations” and political donations to Democrats.
Former Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins, sworn in as Veterans Affairs Secretary in February, was also tapped to temporarily lead two oversight agencies: the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel. These roles were later transferred to Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in April.
Russell Vought, who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first administration, returned to the same role and was additionally named acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB came under investigation from the Department of Government Efficiency, with mass terminations that were later challenged in court.
Ric Grenell, Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence during his first term, currently serves as president of the Kennedy Center while also acting as special presidential envoy for special missions of the United States. In the latter role, Grenell helped lead the administration’s response to Southern California wildfires that occurred during the transition from the Biden to Trump administration.
Despite criticism from Democrats about officials taking on multiple roles, the administration has highlighted successes under this approach, including Rubio’s oversight of successful U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
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16 Comments
As someone who has been critical of certain COVID measures, Bhattacharya’s appointment raises some concerns. I hope he can set aside his personal views and focus on the scientific evidence in leading these agencies.
The decision to have Bhattacharya oversee both the NIH and CDC is certainly a controversial one. His background and outspoken stance on COVID-19 measures will undoubtedly shape the direction of these agencies.
Agreed. Bhattacharya’s appointment is bound to be closely watched, and it will be important for him to demonstrate a commitment to evidence-based policymaking.
The decision to have Bhattacharya oversee both the NIH and CDC raises some eyebrows given his past stances on COVID-19 policies. It will be important to see if he can set aside his personal views and focus on the science.
Bhattacharya’s expanded role within the administration raises some concerns given his divergent views on pandemic policies. I hope he can set aside his personal opinions and focus on the scientific evidence.
Bhattacharya’s appointment to these influential health positions is sure to be controversial given his past criticisms of lockdowns and vaccine mandates. I’m curious to see how he reconciles his views with the agencies’ responsibilities.
I’m intrigued to see how Bhattacharya’s leadership at the NIH and CDC will shape the government’s approach to public health issues. His background suggests he may take a different tack than his predecessors.
Interesting to see Bhattacharya take on this additional role at the CDC. As a critic of COVID lockdowns, it will be worth watching how he approaches the agency’s pandemic response moving forward.
It’s an interesting choice to have Bhattacharya oversee both the NIH and CDC. His background and outspoken views on pandemic response will certainly shape the direction of these agencies.
With Bhattacharya now leading both the NIH and CDC, it will be interesting to see how he reconciles his past criticisms of COVID-19 measures with the agencies’ responsibilities in protecting public health.
Bhattacharya’s dual role is certainly a bold move by the administration. His track record on COVID policy will be closely watched as he takes on these high-profile responsibilities.
Bhattacharya’s appointment to these dual roles is certainly a bold move by the administration. His track record on pandemic response will be closely scrutinized as he takes the helm of these key health agencies.
Bhattacharya’s background as a physician and his views on natural immunity are certainly controversial. It will be important to see if he can find a balanced approach in leading both the NIH and CDC.
Agreed. His stance on COVID policies has been quite polarizing, so his leadership of these key health agencies will be closely scrutinized.
The expansion of responsibilities for senior officials seems to be a recurring theme in this administration. I’m curious to see if Bhattacharya can effectively manage the workload and priorities of both the NIH and CDC.
Bhattacharya’s dual role at the NIH and CDC is an interesting choice by the administration. Given his past criticisms of COVID-19 policies, it will be crucial for him to remain objective and prioritize public health.