Trump administration dismisses CDC Director Susan Monarez following her rejection to resign, citing 'dangerous orders'
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been in the spotlight recently due to a series of events that began with the firing of its director, Dr. Susan Monarez, in 2023.
Dr. Monarez, a former deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, was appointed as the CDC director in March of the same year. However, her tenure was cut short when she was dismissed by the Trump administration. Her lawyers stated that she was targeted for political reasons.
Before her dismissal, Dr. Monarez had been a strong advocate for CDC employees and had been briefly acting director of the agency. Her work involved using artificial intelligence to improve health, and she was known for her efforts to combat misinformation.
Following her firing, at least four top CDC officials announced their resignations. Dr. Debra Houry, the chief medical officer, resigned due to the ongoing spread of misinformation around vaccines. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, resigned due to the "ongoing weaponizing of public health."
In a virtual meeting with CDC staffers, Dr. Monarez sought to reassure them, expressing concerns about misinformation. The concerns were not unfounded, as there had been a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs that had sickened 95 people, according to the CDC.
The White House formally terminated Dr. Monarez after she refused to resign under pressure from the nation's top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's original pick for director, Dr. David Weldon, was pulled from consideration hours before his confirmation hearing. Weldon had a history of questioning vaccine safety.
Kush Desai, White House spokesman, stated that Monarez is not aligned with the President's agenda. In June, Kennedy fired all 17 ACIP members and replaced them with his own picks, including several Covid vaccine skeptics.
The Senate confirmed Dr. Monarez's nomination in late July, but the damage had already been done. The CDC, already weakened by the pandemic, was left even more vulnerable. Monarez's brief stint as director was marked by her efforts to restore the agency's reputation and combat misinformation, but her firing has left the country less safe.
President Trump has not made any public statements about the shooting that occurred on the CDC campus in Atlanta, which resulted in the death of a police officer and shattered windows of six buildings. The incident further highlighted the turmoil within the agency.
Michael Osterholm is launching the Vaccine Integrity Project as a potential alternative to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The project aims to provide independent and evidence-based recommendations on vaccines and public health.
As the CDC continues to grapple with the aftermath of Dr. Monarez's firing and the ongoing pandemic, it remains to be seen how the agency will move forward and regain the trust of the American public.
