Additional Coverage:
- CDC director resists ouster, says she will not resign (thehill.com)
CDC Director Out After Weeks on the Job, But She Says She’s Not Going Anywhere
In a whirlwind Wednesday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) saw its freshly confirmed director seemingly ousted, only to have her fire back with a refusal to resign.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on social media around 5:30 p.m. EST that Susan Monarez was no longer the CDC director.
However, Monarez quickly countered through her attorney, Mark Zaid, claiming she had neither resigned nor been officially fired. Zaid’s statement painted Monarez as a defender of science against political pressure, suggesting she was targeted for resisting “unscientific, reckless directives.”
This dramatic turn of events follows reported tensions between Monarez and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., particularly surrounding vaccine policy.
According to reports, Kennedy gave Monarez an ultimatum earlier this week: resign or be fired. Monarez reportedly reached out to Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate health committee, instead of complying, further escalating the conflict.
Monarez’s confirmation by the Senate just last month marked a new era for the CDC, as she was the first director to require Senate approval. The move followed increased politicization of the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adding fuel to the fire, four senior CDC officials resigned following the news of Monarez’s apparent dismissal. Their resignation letters cited concerns about the politicization of public health under Kennedy’s leadership. One official, CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, explicitly referenced the dangers of misinformation and political interference in scientific matters.
Monarez’s brief tenure at the CDC follows a somewhat convoluted path. Initially President Trump’s second choice for the role, her confirmation process stretched for months. While some former colleagues praised her data-driven approach and nonpartisan stance, others questioned her actions during a previous stint as acting CDC director, particularly regarding the removal of certain data from the agency’s website.
This rapidly unfolding situation leaves the future of the CDC leadership in question.
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- CDC director resists ouster, says she will not resign (thehill.com)