The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is facing a leadership crisis after Director Susan Monarez refused to step down despite the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services announcing her removal from the post.
Monarez's lawyers, Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell, said late Wednesday that she remains in the role because only President Donald Trump can fire her. "For this reason, we reject notification Dr. Monarez has received as legally deficient and she remains as CDC Director," Zaid said in a post on X. He added: "We have notified the White House Counsel of our position."
The White House, however, said the firing was final. "As her attorney's statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President's agenda of Making America Healthy Again," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. "Since Susan Monarez refused to resign despite informing HHS leadership of her intent to do so, the White House has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC."
HHS echoed the removal. "Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the agency said in a post on X. "We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people. Secretary Kennedy has full confidence in his team at the CDC who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad."
Monarez, a longtime government scientist who was sworn in on July 31, is the first Senate-confirmed CDC director under a 2022 law requiring congressional approval. She does not hold a medical degree, making her the first CDC director without one in over 70 years, though she has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology.
Her lawyers accused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of politicizing the agency. "When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda," their statement said. "For that, she has been targeted. Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired, and as a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign."
The Washington Post reported that Monarez resisted pressure to rescind approvals for certain COVID-19 vaccines and even sought support from Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), chairman of the Senate health committee. Sources said her actions escalated tensions with Kennedy, who demanded her resignation.
The fallout spread quickly through the agency. At least three senior CDC officials resigned Wednesday, including Demetre Daskalakis, head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, head of the National Centers for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease; and Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry.
In a resignation letter posted on X, Daskalakis criticized Kennedy's approach. He said he could not continue in an administration that treats the CDC "as a tool" for policies that "do not reflect scientific reality." He cited changes to vaccine scheduling, warning they "threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people," and accused the administration of attempting to "erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research."
Monarez's nomination followed the withdrawal of Dave Weldon, Trump's initial pick for the role, earlier this year. During her July confirmation hearing, Monarez defended vaccines, telling senators she has "not seen a causal link between vaccines and autism."
