Washington, August 28, 2025 – The White House has dismissed Susan Monarez, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after she refused to step down despite pressure to resign.

In a statement, officials said Monarez was “not aligned with the president’s agenda” and had therefore been removed. Her lawyers countered that she was targeted for refusing to “rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives” and accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of “weaponising public health.”

Wave of Resignations

Monarez’s firing triggered a string of resignations among senior CDC staff. Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, infectious diseases chief Daniel Jernigan, and immunization director Demetre Daskalakis all stepped down, citing concerns over misinformation, budget cuts, and the politicisation of public health. Reports also suggested that Jennifer Layden, head of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology, resigned as well.

The departures have raised alarm among health experts, who say the agency’s credibility and vaccine policy are at risk under Kennedy, a longtime vaccine sceptic.

A Short Tenure Amid Turmoil

Monarez, an infectious disease researcher and the first CDC director in 50 years without a medical degree, was confirmed by the Senate in July after Trump withdrew his earlier nominee. During her brief leadership, she sought to reassure staff following a gun attack on the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, which killed a police officer.

Her removal comes just days after a CDC employees’ union revealed 600 staff had been laid off, including those working on bird flu and environmental health research.

Meanwhile, the FDA approved new Covid vaccines on Wednesday but restricted eligibility to seniors and high-risk groups, ending broader access under earlier emergency authorizations.

Image Source: Google | Image Credit: Respective Owner