There is a story buried here my gut is telling me. The new one is only acting, why replaced with temporary person?
I searched "Surgeon General nominee" and did not find any information regarding a nominee from the Trump administration. Perhaps they believe that the deputy - a minority - is an adequate space-filler.
The biggest question should be what more of vital importance in our lives would be accomplished even if they picked a cartoon character as Surgeon General? Remember Jocelyn Elders? I would submit that Scooby Doo would have been better.