CDC Director Susan Monarez Removed Less Than A Month After Appointment

Last Updated:August 28, 2025, 05:49 IST

Her exit follows the resignation of several other high-ranking CDC officials, including Dr Debra Houry, Dr Daniel Jernigan, and Dr Demetre Daskalakis.

Monarez was the first CDC director in five decades without a medical degree (File Photo/AP)

Less than a month after being sworn in as director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr Susan Monarez has reportedly been removed from her position. According to a report by The Washington Post, which cited sources familiar with the matter, Monarez, who assumed office on July 31,has been ousted, leaving the agency currently without a permanent leader.

The development was confirmed in a post by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on X (formerly Twitter), which read, “Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people. [HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] has full confidence in his team at @CDCgov who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad.”

Her departure comes amid a turbulent period for the agency. On August 8, the CDC’s main campus in Atlanta was targeted in a shooting that resulted in the death of DeKalb County police officer David Rose. The incident sent shockwaves through the public health community and intensified scrutiny on the agency’s internal security and leadership.

In the days following the shooting, the CDC issued termination notices to approximately 600 employees, citing restructuring and budgetary constraints. The agency has also found itself at the centre of a growing controversy regarding long-standing vaccination policies, many of which have been challenged or overturned by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine sceptic.

While Monarez’s departure has been confirmed, the exact reason for her sudden removal remains unclear. HHS officials have not provided an explanation, and Monarez herself declined to comment, telling the Associated Press, “I can’t comment.”

Her exit follows the resignation of several other high-ranking CDC officials in recent weeks. Among them are Dr Debra Houry, deputy director; Dr Daniel Jernigan, head of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Monarez, a veteran federal scientist with a background in infectious disease research, was nominated by President Donald Trump earlier this year after he withdrew his initial nominee, former congressman Dave Weldon, due to criticism of Weldon’s views on vaccines and autism.

Monarez’s appointment had already drawn attention, as she was the first CDC director in five decades without a medical degree.

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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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