Gov. DeSantis pitches Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to lead the CDC. Could it happen?

Kirby Wilson, Tampa Bay Times on Mar 24, 2025

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Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo could soon be one of the top health officials in the country.

At least, that would be the case if Gov. Ron DeSantis had his way.

Over the weekend, DeSantis heaped public pressure on President Donald Trump to hire Ladapo to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Dr. Joe Ladapo ... has the courage and determination to do what’s right when it’s not easy,” DeSantis posted to X Sunday from his official government account. “Lapado as CDC Director means that MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) is not just an empty slogan.”

Hours later, from his personal account, DeSantis re-upped the call for Trump to pick Ladapo.

“Ladapo would be a change agent as CDC Director ..." DeSantis posted.

The director position has been the subject of speculation for days. Trump’s first pick for the job, Dave Weldon, a former Florida U.S. representative, saw his nomination pulled by the White House earlier this month because he didn’t have the votes to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Now, Trump is rumored to be considering Ladapo. If Ladapo were to get the nod, it would mean a radical new direction for the federal agency, which is tasked with fighting disease outbreaks.

Ladapo has been at odds with the CDC numerous times during his tenure at the helm of the Florida Department of Health. He’s repeatedly warned about what he says are the dangers of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC recommended those shots.

When the state saw a small measles outbreak in February 2024, Ladapo told parents it was up to them whether to send their children to school — contrary to CDC guidance.

And most recently, Ladapo has traveled the state pushing for municipalities to remove fluoride, which helps prevent cavities, from their water systems. This push dovetails with a similar call from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Many local Florida governments have done so, including Collier County and the city of Lakeland. In arguing for fluoride’s removal, Ladapo has cited studies that show the mineral can negatively affect child cognitive development. The CDC has called the fluoridation of water one of 10 “great public health achievements” of the 20th century.

Ladapo is one of the governor’s most loyal appointees, often praising DeSantis in public appearances.

Also up for consideration for the CDC job is Michael Burgess, a former U.S. representative from Texas, CBS reported.

The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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