White House fires CDC director who says RFK Jr. is "weaponizing public health"

Susan Monarez was confirmed as the CDC’s director in July. Three top agency officials announced resignations as the Trump administration moved to oust her.

1. 29/08/2025, 12:40White House fires CDC director who says RFK Jr. is ‘weaponizing public health’ - The Washington Post
Page 1 of 1https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/27/susan-monarez-cdc-director-ousted/
White House fires CDC director who
says RFK Jr. is ‘weaponizing public
health’
Susan Monarez was confirmed as the CDC’s
director in July. Three top agency officials
announced resignations as the Trump administration
moved to oust her.
Lauren Weber
Updated August 28, 2025 at 12:38 a.m. EDTyesterday at 12:38 a.m. EDT
The White House on Wednesday fired Susan Monarez as director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after she refused to resign
amid pressure to change vaccine policy, which sparked the resignation of
other senior CDC officials and a showdown over whether she could be
removed.
Hours after the Department of Health and Human Services announced
early Wednesday evening that Monarez was no longer the director, her
lawyers responded with a fiery statement saying she had not resigned or
been fired. They accused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of
“weaponizing public health for political gain” and “putting millions of
American lives at risk” by purging health officials from government.