CDC leadership shake-up deepens as deputy Ralph Abraham resigns abruptly

Leadership turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deepened with the abrupt resignation of the agency’s second-in-command, Ralph Abraham. On Monday (February 23), the CDC published a notice confirming that Abraham, who previously served as Louisiana’s surgeon general, has stepped down from his role as deputy director general. He had been in the position for just over two months. According to the statement, his departure is effective immediately and attributed to “unforeseen family obligations.”

In a brief message included in the announcement, Abraham said serving alongside CDC staff and supporting the agency’s public health mission had been a privilege. Many CDC employees said they were not formally notified of the leadership change. Instead, they learned of Abraham’s exit through the agency’s website or through media coverage, according to several staff members who spoke with STAT.

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At present, the CDC is under the temporary leadership of Jay Bhattacharya, who also heads the National Institutes of Health. He was appointed acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week. However, there are no indications that he plans to relocate to the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta or spend substantial time there.

His predecessor, Jim O’Neill, similarly managed dual responsibilities while serving as deputy health secretary and remained based in Washington.

Unlike those leaders, Abraham had been working on-site at the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters after taking office in early January. Individuals familiar with internal operations suggest that day-to-day oversight is currently being handled by political appointees within the director’s office, many of whom reportedly lack medical or public health backgrounds.

The agency’s leadership instability has been ongoing. During the current Trump administration, the CDC has had a full-time director for only a brief period. Susan Monarez previously held the position for four weeks before being dismissed last August. Her removal followed a dispute over vaccination policy recommendations involving Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and an advisory panel critics described as including anti-vaccine figures.