President Donald Trump has nominated Chris Klomp, the current Medicare director, to be the deputy secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This move would make Klomp the second-in-command behind HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he has been advising for several months.
Background and Responsibilities
Klomp has been serving as Medicare director since April 2025 and has been involved in the administration’s efforts to broker deals with pharmaceutical companies and build Trump’s plan to cut prescription drug costs. As deputy secretary, Klomp would oversee operations and regulatory policy at HHS.
The nomination requires Senate confirmation, adding Klomp’s name to the list of federal health nominees awaiting hearings before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. HHS has been without a deputy secretary since Jim O’Neill left in February as part of a broader shakeup in agency leadership.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
