US Government Health & Security Leadership: Key Officials (March 2026)
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Marco Rubio is overseeing the closeout of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), handing the process over to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, according to an announcement made Friday.
The move comes as the Trump administration continues a broad review of foreign aid programs. Rubio, who briefly served as Acting Archivist of the United States earlier this year, has held multiple roles within the administration since assuming the Secretary of State position in January 2025, including a concurrent role as Acting U.S. National Security Advisor from May 1, 2025.
Rubio met with Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira today, alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to discuss trade and bilateral issues, agreeing to further collaboration and a future meeting between President Trump and Brazilian President Lula. This meeting underscores the administration’s focus on international trade negotiations, even as domestic agencies undergo restructuring.
The personnel changes extend beyond USAID. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Secretary of Health and Human Services, has appointed Bethany Kozma as Director of the Office of Global Affairs. Within HHS, Jay Bhattacharya serves as Director of both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bhattacharya also oversees the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), led by Jeffrey Taubenberger.
At the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth is serving as Secretary, while Keith Bass holds the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. The DoD’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program is directed by Brad Hale.
Several key positions remain vacant, including the Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, and the Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy. The position of Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development is also currently vacant, following Rubio’s transfer of oversight to Vought.
The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is currently led by William Kirk as Chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, and Kenneth Dieffenbach as Executive Director. Brooke Rollins serves as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, and Usha-Maria Turner is Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Sean Conley is currently serving as Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Homeland Security. The administration has signaled its intention to nominate Casey Means as Surgeon General, though she has not yet been formally confirmed by the Senate.