Susan Monarez is on her way out as the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after less than a month on the job.
The first non-physician to lead the department in half a century “ran afoul” of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over changes he made to an expert panel advising on vaccine policy, according to the New York Times.
Monarez was confirmed for the position last month and sworn in by Kennedy on July 31.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Department of Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for comment.
President Donald Trump nominated Monarez to permanently fill the role after she served as acting director for months.
Her nomination came after the White House withdrew Trump’s first choice for the role, former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon’s name from consideration.
There were concerns Weldon would not have the votes in the Senate to be confirmed amid criticism over his views on autism and vaccines.
Monarez previously served as the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, but had served as the acting head of the CDC since January before being confirmed for the job.
It has been one week since the tragic attack on the CDC and the passing of Officer David Rose. We will never forget his bravery and sacrifice – CDC will be forever grateful he was there to protect us. Over the past week, we have made progress in healing, strengthening security,… pic.twitter.com/d84i59T6Fu
— CDC Director Susan Monarez (@CDCMonarez) August 15, 2025
Monarez was in her first week on the job since being sworn in when a gunman fired about 180 rounds into the agency’s Atlanta headquarters on August 8, leaving a police officer dead.
Kennedy replaced some members of a vaccine advisory committee with opponents of the department’s vaccination policies, according to the Times.
Monarez was reportedly concerned about the spread of misinformation.
Her departure was first reported by the Washington Post, quoting “multiple administration officials.”
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