Susan Monarez, an infectious disease specialist confirmed as CDC director a month earlier, was fired on Wednesday by the Department of Health and Human Services, which provided no reason. Monarez refuses to leave and her lawyers assert that, as a presidential appointee and Senate-confirmed officer, only the president can dismiss her; they rejected the notification as legally deficient and notified the White House Counsel. A White House spokesperson said Monarez was not aligned with the president's agenda and that the administration terminated her after she refused to resign. Four other senior CDC leaders resigned, citing political interference, budget cuts and misinformation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has cut research funding, removed scientific advisers and restricted Covid vaccine use.
Her lawyers claim that while the White House has said that she is not aligned with the president's agenda, only the president himself can dismiss her. As a presidential appointee, senate confirmed officer, only the president himself can fire her, Monarez's lawyer Mark Zaid posted on Bluesky. For this reason, we reject notification Dr. Monarez has received as legally deficient and she remains as CDC Director. We have notified the White House Counsel of our position.
A spokesperson for Trump, Kush Desai, said: As her attorney's statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President's agenda of Making America Healthy Again. 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. The decision to remove Monarez has sparked further turmoil within the CDC.
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