The Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Susan Monarez, has stepped down from her position less than a month after assuming office. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made an announcement on Wednesday confirming her departure from the CDC leadership role, expressing gratitude for her service to the nation.
Reports from The Washington Post indicated that Monarez was being removed from her position, with sources from the Trump administration revealing the development. According to anonymous CDC employees, Monarez canceled a scheduled agency-wide call on Monday, raising speculations about her imminent departure.
Susan Monarez, a federal government scientist, received confirmation from the U.S. Senate on July 29 to lead the CDC following her nomination by President Donald Trump earlier in the year. She was officially sworn in by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on July 31. Her exit from the CDC comes in the aftermath of a recent shooting incident at the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta.
Monarez was the second nominee for the CDC director role under the Trump administration, following the withdrawal of the initial nominee, Dave Weldon, earlier in the year. Secretary Kennedy, known for focusing on vaccine policy, has made significant changes, including withdrawing federal recommendations for specific COVID-19 vaccinations. In a move to reshape vaccine advisory panels, Kennedy dismissed existing members and appointed new advisors, some of whom are known for their anti-vaccine stance.
Kennedy’s decisions regarding vaccines have been impactful during the period when the CDC director position was vacant and continued after Monarez’s confirmation. Notably, her departure coincides with Kennedy’s announcement of modifications to COVID vaccine eligibility criteria.