CDC Director Fired After Clash with HHS Secretary Kennedy Over Vaccines

On August 28, Director Susan Monarez was fired by the Trump Administration. Monarez, who was confirmed to the role in July after serving as Acting Director since January, came under scrutiny by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (see previous COSSA coverage). The New York Times reported that she clashed with Secretary Kennedy over vaccine policy, and her removal was later confirmed by the agency in a social media post. At least three other CDC officials have resigned following her termination. A statement published on Twitter by Monarez’s lawyers claimed the dismissal was illegal and politically motivated, stating:

“First it was independent advisory committees and career experts. Then it was the dismissal of seasoned scientists. Now, Secretary Kennedy and HHS have set their sights on weaponizing public health for political gain and putting millions of American lives at risk. When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubberstamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda.”  

In the interim, Jim O’Neill, who currently serves as deputy to Secretary Kennedy but has no prior experience in medicine or infectious disease science and has a history of vaccine skepticism, will serve as Acting Director of the CDC. He is expected to join the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—which faced similar terminations from Secretary Kennedy in June—during its upcoming September meeting (see previous COSSA coverage).

In a public statement, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who currently serves as Chair of the Senate Health, Education, and Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, requested the ACIP meeting be postponed, writing, “If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil in CDC leadership.” Further, the Senate Finance Committee, of which Sen. Cassidy is also a member, has called Secretary Kennedy to testify in front of Congress on the president’s 2026 health care agenda on September 4, where they are expected to question him on Monarez’s abrupt termination (watch live here).

Stay tuned for COSSA’s continued coverage of the Administration.