Susan Monarez out from CDC, is no longer the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) less than a month after taking the office. On August 27, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that she has ceased to be director.
Why This Happened
She also allegedly declined to step down even when she was pressured by the HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and being ordered by the White.
Her legal team protested that she had not resigned or been fired, and only President Trump could fire her, as he was Senate-confirmed to hold her position.
Fallout and Resignations
After the news, three top CDC officials resigned in protest: Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis and Dr. Daniel Jernigan.
Some accounts indicate that there have been four resignations such as that of Dr. Jennifer Layden.
Broader Context
The shake-up comes during a wider shake-up at the CDC during the tenure of RFK Jr., including reforms of vaccine advisory panels and tightening of COVID-19 vaccine approvals by the FDA to only high-risk populations.
That such instability and politicization of leadership may weaken the capacity of the CDC to effectively respond to those threats to the public health.
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Susan Monarez – Career Background
“Academic/Scientific Education: Susan P. Coller Monarez is a Ph.D. recipient in microbiology and immunology (University of Wisconsin-Madison) who completed a postdoctoral research period at Stanford University School of Medicine.
- Early Roles: She has worked in major science and policy positions, including but is not limited to:
o Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategy and Data Analytics at the Department of Homeland Security.
o Leader of technology-focused research at Homeland Security’s Advanced Research Projects Agency.
o Work with the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy and on the National Security Council.
- ARPA-H Leadership: Since January 2023, she has been the Deputy Director of ARPA-H, and led efforts in AI-enabled diagnostics, rapid disease detection, behavioral health, maternal health equity, opioid crisis responses, and advances in transplant/organ donation.
- CDC Tenure:
o In January 2025, named Acting Principal Deputy Director.
Nomination President Trump has nominated in March 2025 (after Dave Weldon withdrew his nomination).
o Senate confirmation in late July 2025 (51 47 party-line) -the first CDC director to be nominated in a 2023 act that mandates Senate confirmation.
o Sworn in officially on July 31, 2025.
- Scientific Vision: in her confirmation hearing, she noted restoring confidence in CDC through a reliance on scientific rigor, reestablishing trust, updating the infrastructure of public health, and enhancing emergency response and communication systems.
- Prominent Context: During her initial months in office, the CDC was faced with an armed assault on its campus and she herself was politically pressured to eliminate agency personnel, herself being the shortest-serving CDC director in history (less than 1 month) when she was ousted by HHS on August 27, 2025.
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Resigning Officials- What they are
Dr. Debra Houry
- Position: Chief Medical Officer & Deputy Director for Program and Science ∙ Acting Principal Deputy Director.
- Background:
o Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (20142021); increased budget (150M to 714M) by a significant margin, headed opioid prescribing guidelines, extended opioid overdose surveillance, and promoted mental health, firearm violence prevention, and adverse childhood experiences and initiatives.
o When serving as Principal Deputy Director (20212023), spearheaded agency-wide improvements: lab quality, global health strategy, data modernization, social determinants and mental health.
o Awarded the highest honors: AMA, Outstanding Government Service Award, ACEP, Public Health Trailblazer Award, and ACEP, Membership in the National Academy of Medicine.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis
- Position: Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).
- Background:
o Medical degree and MPH in infectious disease; early experience with leading HIV prevention in New York City and making a significant contribution to the response to meningitis and measles outbreaks.
o Oversaw mpox response as deputy coordinator at the White House.
o Quit August 28, 2025, and in his resignation letter described a threat to scientific integrity, politicization of health data, and silencing of dialogue and policy changes that harm disadvantaged groups including transgender and HIV-positive communities.
Dr. Daniel Jernigan
- Position: Director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
- Basic information: Background publications have minimized his profile, but listed him as one of the highest-ranking officials at CDC to resign after the removal of Monarez.
Dr. Jennifer Layden
- Position: Director, Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology.
- In certain reports, considered a fourth resignation in addition to the rest.
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Policy Conflicts- What lies Within
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Vaccine Policy Overhaul: June 9, 2025 Secretary RFK Jr. removed all of the 17 members of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), claiming conflicts of interest. Opponents claim this is corrupting the confidence of the population and science in the policy of immunization during outbreaks and a decline in vaccination coverage.
At the same time, federal COVID-19 vaccine guidance was canceled in pregnant women and healthy kids, restricting its applicability to older or high-risk people.
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Staffing & Structural Shifts: During the tenure of Kennedy, CDC experienced mass layoffs: the organization lost 2,400 employees, and in their place, 700 people were hired, a number of 100 advisory committees was reorganized, and vaccine-sceptic individuals were appointed.
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Escalating Internal Turmoil: Monarez is reported to have refused orders to fire high-ranking CDC officials and refused to step down under pressure. The lawsuits that followed were to do with her legitimacy of being fired without a presidential firing. The atmosphere was characterized with fast changing leadership and uncertainty.
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Public Health Risks: Critics, including departing officials, caution that the politicization and political instability in its leadership can undermine the capacity of the CDC to effectively respond to outbreaks (e.g. measles, screwworm) and other emergent threats. There is a general fear of the loss of trust, evidence-based policymaking, and protection of vulnerable groups.
Summary-
Susan Monarez, who was confirmed as CDC director in late July 2025, is ousted as of August 27, 2025.
She cannot give up, and there was an argument on whether she was dismissed legally, or is still serving in the position.
Her exit has caused other top officials in the agency to resign in a domino effect that has triggered concerns on the stability and leadership of the U.S. public health.
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