Susan Monarez, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), testifies throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor, and Pensions within the Dirksen Senate Workplace Constructing on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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The White Home on Wednesday mentioned it had fired Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign. 4 different prime CDC officers introduced they had been quitting the embattled well being company.
The management disaster at CDC erupted the identical day the Meals and Drug Administration introduced new limits on who can get the newest permitted spherical of Covid vaccines within the U.S.
“Susan Monarez is just not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Wholesome Once more,” White Home Spokesman Kush Desai mentioned in a press release to NBC Information. “Since Susan Monarez refused to resign regardless of informing [Health and Human Services Department] management of her intent to take action, the White Home has terminated Monarez from her place with the CDC.”
The assertion comes hours after lawyer Mark Zaid mentioned he was representing Monarez and that she had not really been fired but or stepped down, including that she wouldn’t resign.
“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and hearth devoted well being consultants, she selected defending the general public over serving a political agenda,” Zaid mentioned in a press release. “For that, she has been focused.”
Earlier on Wednesday, HHS mentioned in a submit on X that “Monarez is now not director” of the company.
Monarez, a longtime federal authorities scientist, was sworn in on July 31. She is the primary CDC director to be confirmed by the Senate following a brand new legislation handed through the pandemic that required lawmakers to approve nominees for the function.
The Washington Put up first reported her ousting on Wednesday.
At the very least 4 different officers additionally submitted their resignations on Wednesday in a large shakeup on the company: Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the Nationwide Heart for Immunization and Respiratory Ailments; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, the director of the Nationwide Heart for Rising and Zoonotic Infectious Ailments; and Dr. Jennifer Layden, director of the Workplace of Public Well being Information, Surveillance and Know-how.
Houry, in a resignation letter obtained by NBC Information, wrote in regards to the risks of the unfold of vaccine misinformation and mentioned proposed funds cuts and reorganization plans would negatively impression the CDC’s capability to deal with situations like hypertension, diabetes, most cancers, overdoses and psychological well being points.
In his resignation letter, additionally obtained by NBC Information, Daskalakis mentioned he was leaving the company “due to the continued weaponizing of public well being.”
Her departure comes at a tumultuous time for the company, which is reeling from a gunman’s assault on its Atlanta headquarters on Aug. 8. A police officer died within the taking pictures.
Monarez on Friday canceled a gathering with CDC staff that had been scheduled for Monday, in response to an e-mail obtained by NBC Information. She mentioned she needed to guarantee employees that the company is working to revive their “belief within the security and safety of all CDC workplaces.”
President Donald Trump nominated Monarez after withdrawing his first decide to steer the CDC, former Republican congressman Dave Weldon, hours earlier than his affirmation listening to. Weldon has been criticized for his views on vaccines.
— CNBC’s Michele Luhn contributed to this report.