DeSantis Advocates for Florida Surgeon General as CDC Director

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has openly recommended that President Donald Trump appoint Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida's Surgeon General, to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). DeSantis believes Ladapo could enact transformative changes at the federal level that would benefit Florida significantly.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), DeSantis stated, "Overhauling the CDC would be beneficial to FL. Joe could do more for FL as CDC Director than as FL Surgeon General." The governor also backed a suggestion characterizing Ladapo as "the right pick, the transformative pick, the history-making pick, the pick that would save the Republic." Bold words, indeed.

DeSantis praised Ladapo further, saying, "Dr. Joe Ladapo... has the courage and determination to do what’s right when it’s not easy. Lapado as CDC Director means that MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] is not just an empty slogan." Clearly, DeSantis isn't holding back on his admiration for Ladapo's potential.

The CDC director role remains vacant after the White House withdrew its nomination of former U.S. Representative Dr. Dave Weldon earlier this month, reportedly due to insufficient Senate votes for confirmation. Weldon expressed disappointment, noting, "Twelve hours before my scheduled confirmation hearing in The Senate, I received a phone call... informing me that my nomination... was being withdrawn." Weldon’s statement indicated that even HHS Secretary Bobbie Kennedy had been upset by the decision.

DeSantis has previously floated Ladapo for other roles, including Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), before Trump ultimately selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for that position. The Florida governor even went as far as sharing a post encouraging supporters to retweet their endorsement for Ladapo as HHS Secretary.

With CDC leadership still in flux, DeSantis’s recommendation adds another layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama in Washington. Whether Ladapo will indeed emerge as Trump’s pick remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—DeSantis is doubling down on his belief that Ladapo is the game-changer the nation’s public health system needs.