Two senior Trump administration health officials — including one who was running the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — are leaving their posts as part of a staff shakeup by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of the midterm elections, two sources confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: The departures of deputy health secretary Jim O'Neill and general counsel Mike Stuart coincide with Kennedy's public emphasis on top administration priorities like cleaning up the food supply and lowering drug prices.
- O'Neill was not only the second-ranking official at the Department of Health and Human Services, but also the acting director of the CDC.
Driving the news: The staff shuffle will effectively make the current Medicare director Chris Klomp chief of staff under Kennedy, overseeing all of the department's operations.
- Klomp will continue to serve as the director of Medicare, the department said in a Thursday news release.
- Klomp led President Trump's price negotiations with leading drugmakers and also oversaw efforts to address rising costs in Medicare Advantage.
- The changes will also elevate deputy FDA commissioners Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham to senior counselors at the agency.
Between the lines: Klomp's promotion elevates a top official under Mehmet Oz, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is generally viewed as the most stable and effective part of the department.
- O'Neill, meanwhile, had leaned harder into the world of Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
HHS did not immediately respond to a request for further comment or to questions over who will step in as acting director of CDC.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional context about the changes.
