By Ethan Caldwell 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Thursday that Dr. Susan Monarez has been removed as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 27, 2025, less than one month after her Senate confirmation on July 29, 2025. The decision, confirmed by White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai, follows reported tensions with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policies and the direction of the CDC’s public health agenda.Monarez, a microbiologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, was appointed acting CDC director in January 2025 and confirmed as the first Senate-approved director under a 2023 law. Her tenure was marked by efforts to align the CDC with President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. However, disagreements with Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, over maintaining vaccine promotion and resisting changes to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee reportedly led to her ouster.
In a statement, HHS Secretary Kennedy said, “The CDC must prioritize transparency and public trust. We are committed to a leadership transition that strengthens our mission to protect American health.” The department has not named an interim or permanent replacement, but sources indicate a new director will be announced soon.The abrupt dismissal has triggered significant fallout, with four senior CDC officials resigning in protest: Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Director Demetre Daskalakis, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Director Daniel Jernigan, and Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology Director Jennifer Layden. The resignations reflect concerns over what some officials described as the “weaponization of public health” under Kennedy’s influence.
Attorneys Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell, representing Monarez, stated that she had not been formally fired at the time of the HHS announcement and was prepared to challenge the decision. “Dr. Monarez remains committed to the CDC’s mission and will not resign,” they said in a joint statement.
The ouster comes amid a severe measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, with 370 confirmed cases as of August 26, 2025, raising concerns about the CDC’s capacity to respond to public health crises during this leadership transition. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have warned that the removal of Monarez and the resignations of key officials could undermine the agency’s ability to address infectious diseases effectively.
The White House and HHS have pledged to ensure continuity at the CDC, with plans to bolster resources for ongoing public health emergencies. Further details on the leadership transition will be provided in the coming weeks.
Dale Chaucer 
Andreas Lundberg 
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