President Trump Names Eric Hargan as Acting HHS Secretary

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Eric Hargan will serve as acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Hargan previously served as HHS Deputy Secretary. Don Wright, M.D., a longtime HHS staffer and deputy assistant secretary for health, had served as the agency’s acting secretary immediately following Tom Price’s resignation Sept. 29 over his use of costly, taxpayer-funded private charter planes for government business.

Politico reports that Hargan was confirmed as deputy secretary by the Senate on a 57-38 vote last week. “It's Hargan's second go-around at HHS: He served in several roles from 2003 to 2007, including as acting deputy secretary, before leaving government work to practice law in Chicago,” Politico reporter Dan Diamond reported.

According to Politico reporting last week, Hargan had been listed in the HHS directory as a senior adviser in the Office of General Counsel, “and he's been in regulatory reform meetings dating back to the summer, according to documents reviewed by POLITICO. Hargan also served on the Trump transition team for HHS.”