Donald Trump has missed a legally mandated deadline to nominate a permanent director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is seen as a dangerous abdication of responsibility at a time when the nation is facing a growing public health threat. The CDC, which is more than a year into its second term, remains without confirmed leadership and other critical roles, including principal deputy director and chief medical officer, also remain unfilled. This comes as measles, once declared eliminated in the US, is resurging at an alarming rate, with over 1,500 cases reported across 32 states in 2026 compared to 285 cases in all of 2024 and 37 cases in 2004. The situation is particularly concerning as nearly 50 children in the U.S. have already been hospitalized due to the measles in 2020.