Shakeup at the CDC Prompts Deputy Director Ralph Abraham to Step Down

Being one of the people in charge of running the country's top medical agency was once thought to be a crowning achievement. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has undergone some serious leadership changes during Donald Trump's second term in office.

There appears to be a lot of turmoil going on behind the scenes at the CDC, which has caused several people to step down after being appointed to positions within the government agency since Trump was sworn in.

The leadership changes spilled over into 2026, as the CDC kicked off the year with the abrupt exit of its deputy director after Dr. Ralph Abraham suddenly announced he would be stepping down from his role roughly two months after taking the job.

The news that Dr. Abraham was stepping down shocked people in the industry, especially since it came so close to the resignation of the CDC's acting director. Keep reading to learn more about why Dr. Abraham stepped down and who will take his place.

On Feb. 23, 2026, the CDC's website was updated to feature a statement from Dr. Abraham, announcing his resignation from his role as principal deputy director. According to the note, Dr. Abraham had to step down due to "unforeseen family obligations."

"It has been an honor to serve alongside the dedicated public health professionals at the CDC and to support the agency's critical mission," Dr. Abraham was quoted as saying about his time with the agency.

Dr. Abraham hadn't really served alongside anyone for very long, according to CNN, which notes that he was only sworn into the role on Dec. 15, 2025, just over two months before stepping down.

This news comes hot on the heels of the resignation of the CDC's acting director Jim O'Neill, who had previously held a position with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before jumping in at the CDC. CNN blames the shakeup on uncertainty of the 2026 mid-term elections.

With both the director and deputy director putting in their notice, many may wonder who is running things over at the CDC in their absence. Fortunately, it looks like Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has stepped up to help. CNN says that he was sworn in as acting director of the CDC in February.

This changeup is just one of many examples of leadership turnover at the agency since Trump's second term began. Before O'Neill was named director, Dr. Susan Monarez was approved to run things by the Senate.

Unfortunately, CNN notes that she was removed after she fought back against signing off on some anti-vaccine policy initiatives. Non-medically driven policy changes, coupled with the layoffs of thousands of CDC employees during Elon Musk's expansive Doge cuts, may be contributing to all of the behind-the-scenes turmoil and changes within the agency.

Hopefully, they are able to get things back on track and bring in more permanent leadership before too much time passes.