President Trump on Thursday nominated Chris Klomp as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, formalizing a role the former Medicare director has occupied in practice since February. The nomination lands amid a growing queue of Trump health appointments awaiting Senate action.
From Medicare Director to No. 2 at HHS
Klomp's ascent within HHS has been rapid. Appointed Medicare director early in the administration, he was elevated to chief counselor of HHS in February, a position that made him the de facto operational deputy to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump announced the formal nomination on Truth Social, describing Klomp as having "been doing a FANTASTIC job leading Medicare, and overseeing day-to-day operations."
HHS has faced significant staffing disruption. Kennedy's sweeping organizational overhaul, combined with workforce reductions tied to the Department of Government Efficiency, left the department managing substantial vacancies — vacancies Klomp has been tasked with filling.
Drug Pricing at the Center of His Portfolio
Klomp's highest-profile assignment has been leading administration negotiations with major pharmaceutical companies on "most favored nation" pricing agreements. Under that framework, U.S. drug prices would be indexed to the lower prices paid in other developed nations — a structurally significant shift in how American drug costs are benchmarked internationally.
The negotiations represent one of the administration's primary levers on pharmaceutical spending, and Klomp's role in them signals the operational weight he carries within the department.
Private-Sector Background
Before entering government, Klomp built a career across consulting and healthcare technology. He worked at Bain & Company and the firm's investment arm, Bain Capital, before serving as chief executive of Collective Medical, a health data company. Collective Medical was sold in 2020.
Senate Confirmation Queue
Klomp's nomination joins a lengthening list of Trump health appointments pending Senate confirmation. Erica Schwartz, nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Nicole Saphier, nominated for surgeon general, remain in the same queue. The Senate calendar for health confirmations has become a bottleneck for an administration that has moved aggressively to reshape federal health policy.