Susan Monarez ousted as CDC director just weeks after confirmation – WaPo

Susan Monarez, the recently confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is being ousted out of her role just weeks after taking office, according to The Washington Post.

The Post, citing multiple administration officials familiar with the matter, reported that Monarez is expected to leave her position after less than a month as the nation’s top public health official. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the personnel matter.

According to the outlet, Monarez had scheduled an agencywide call for Monday, but it was canceled on Friday, several CDC employees said. Those employees also requested anonymity to discuss internal matters.

Monarez was confirmed by the Senate on July 29 in a 51-47 party-line vote after being nominated by President Trump in March. She was the first CDC director to require Senate confirmation under a 2023 law change, and the first non-physician to lead the agency since 1953.

Her appointment came after Trump withdrew his original nominee, former Florida congressman Dr. Dave Weldon, whose vaccine-skeptical positions drew bipartisan criticism. Monarez had been serving as acting director since January 2025.

Monarez took over an agency under strain, as the Trump administration moved to cut the CDC’s budget by nearly 40% for 2026, leading to thousands of layoffs before partial rehiring. The agency has also faced internal resignations, a communications freeze, and morale issues, according to media reports.