Senate confirms Trump’s nominee to run NIH

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed health researcher Jay Bhattacharya as the next leader of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Bhattacharya was confirmed on a party- line vote, 53 to 47. 

Bhattacharya became a celebrity among many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic for criticizing masking orders, school closures and other measures meant to mitigate the spread of the virus.