President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor and outspoken critic of pandemic-era lockdowns, will serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during his second term.

Bhattacharya, known for his stance against extreme COVID-19 restrictions, is set to lead the federal government’s medical research efforts.

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Bhattacharya, who co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration in October 2020, has long been a prominent advocate for less restrictive responses to the pandemic.

The declaration called for a different approach to COVID-19 than the widespread lockdowns, arguing that those measures were not only ineffective but also harmful to society.

Trump highlighted Bhattacharya’s role in advocating for a balanced approach to public health, saying in his announcement, “Jay is a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an alternative to lockdowns proposed in October 2020.”

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The announcement came as Trump also confirmed Bhattacharya would be working in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the incoming Health and Human Services Secretary.

Trump described the collaboration between Bhattacharya and Kennedy as a partnership that would help restore the NIH to a “Gold Standard of Medical Research,” focusing on the underlying causes of and solutions to America’s biggest health challenges.

Bhattacharya, who holds both a medical degree and a doctorate in economics from Stanford, expressed his gratitude for the nomination.

On social media, he said, “I am honored and humbled by President Trump’s nomination. We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again!”

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His nomination is now subject to Senate confirmation, which is expected to be straightforward with the Republican majority taking control in January.

The NIH, which employs around 20,000 people at 27 institutions and research centers, is responsible for funding medical research in a variety of fields.

With an annual research budget of approximately $31 billion, the NIH plays a critical role in funding projects across various disease and health-related areas.

Among the many institutes under its umbrella are the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) — formerly led by Dr. Anthony Fauci — and the National Cancer Institute.

Bhattacharya’s nomination comes amid growing criticism of the NIH from Republican lawmakers, particularly regarding the agency’s involvement in funding gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

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The NIH has faced scrutiny over its role in the research conducted at the Wuhan lab in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both Fauci and former NIH Director Francis Collins have denied any knowledge of U.S. taxpayer funds being used for experiments that potentially made viruses more infectious, despite ongoing concerns about the origins of the virus.

The “Twitter Files” exposé, published in 2022, also revealed that Bhattacharya had been placed on a “Trends Blacklist” by the social media giant for his views on the pandemic, which were seen as critical of mainstream responses to COVID-19. His tweets were suppressed, preventing them from trending on the platform.

As Trump moves forward with his second term agenda, the nomination of Bhattacharya to head the NIH signals a shift in the federal government’s approach to public health and scientific research.

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Bhattacharya’s leadership is expected to emphasize a more transparent, science-driven approach, aimed at restoring public trust in American scientific institutions.

With a focus on reducing the influence of political and ideological considerations in scientific policy, Bhattacharya and Kennedy will likely push for reforms within the NIH to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used more efficiently and effectively in tackling health crises.

Their efforts could mark a significant departure from the practices seen under previous administrations, particularly with regard to the handling of the pandemic and the research surrounding it.