Dr. Susan Monarez is no longer CDC director

Susan Monarez, Ph.D. was officially sworn in as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 31^st. Her termination from the role was announced on August 27^th, according to an Associated Press article by Mike Stobbe.

Stobbe quoted Kush Desai, stating “Susan Monarez isn’t “aligned with” President Donald Trump’s agenda and refused to resign, so the White House terminated her.” The Associated Press originally reported Dr. Monarez’s appreciation of science and vaccines was what got her voted in by a class vote of 51-47. She was the first CDC director to be voted in by the Senate. Her lawyers believe “standing up for science” was what got her fired.

AABB reported in a press release that Jim O’Neill is now the acting director of the CDC. This was added to CDC’s website on August 29^th, two days after the announcement of Dr. Monarez’s departure.