President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford physician and economist, for the position of Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the incoming administration. Bhattacharya, a prominent critic of the COVID-19 lockdowns, co-authored the “Great Barrington Declaration” in 2020, which opposed lockdowns and advocated for focused protection of vulnerable populations. This document, signed by thousands of doctors and scientists, was widely criticized by public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who called it “dangerous.”
However, Bhattacharya’s stance has gained significant support, particularly from Trump allies like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel, as well as Republican lawmakers like Rep. Brad Wenstrup. The Congressman praised Bhattacharya for his commitment to science-based solutions and for advocating against bureaucratic failures during the pandemic.
Bhattacharya, who has been an outspoken advocate for reopening society and ending lockdowns, has also criticized social media platforms like Twitter for censoring views that deviated from the mainstream narrative on COVID-19. His stance on lockdowns and public health measures has resonated with many Americans, particularly those who believe that the pandemic response caused more harm than good.
A professor of health policy at Stanford and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, Bhattacharya has extensively researched COVID-19 and its policy responses. He has also published over 135 articles in prestigious scientific journals and holds both an M.D. and Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University. Bhattacharya’s appointment to lead the NIH would reflect the shifting dynamics in conservative politics, shaped by the backlash against pandemic policies and his role in promoting open scientific debate.
