President Donald Trump has selected Susan Monarez as director to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making permanent her current role as acting director.
Monarez, who has been serving as the agency’s interim leader since January, will replace Dr. David Weldon, whose nomination was withdrawn earlier this month due to concerns that he lacked sufficient support in the Senate for confirmation.
“As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement.”
Monarez emerged as the top choice over other contenders, including former Texas congressman and obstetrician-gynecologist Michael Burgess. Weldon had also advocated for Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo to be considered for the role.
If confirmed, Monarez would be the first CDC director to undergo Senate confirmation, following a law passed by Congress in 2022. Previously, CDC directors were appointed by the president and could assume the role immediately without confirmation.
Monarez previously served as the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, an agency focused on innovative medical research.
Unlike past CDC directors, who typically came from within the agency’s career ranks and were medical doctors, Monarez holds a PhD. However, there has been at least one precedent for a non-medical doctor leading the CDC, with an acting director in the 1980s and 1990s coming from within the agency’s career staff.
Despite her unconventional background, Monarez has reportedly built a strong working relationship with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A federal health official noted that White House officials were focused on “getting it right” with this nomination.
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Monarez and her aides were recently in Washington, D.C., for meetings, as she prepares for the confirmation process. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate health committee, emphasized the need for CDC reform and expressed interest in learning more about Monarez’s plans.
“CDC needs reform. That’s why I launched a Senate Republican CDC working group. I look forward to meeting Dr. Susan Monarez and learning more about her vision for the agency,” Cassidy said.
Monarez’s nomination comes at a time of increased scrutiny over the CDC’s handling of key public health issues. In recent months, the agency has faced controversy over decisions that critics say have undermined its credibility, including delays in convening vaccine advisory panels and questions about the independence of its flagship medical research publication.
She will likely face intense questioning during her confirmation hearings, particularly regarding her role in reopening investigations into the long-debunked theory that vaccines cause autism—an issue long associated with Kennedy.
Her confirmation process will also be influenced by ongoing health challenges facing the CDC, such as a rise in measles cases due to low vaccination rates in parts of Texas and neighboring states.
The agency’s response to the growing bird flu outbreak has also drawn scrutiny, with health experts concerned about how public health messaging has been handled. Monarez will be expected to clarify her stance on the CDC’s role in managing these outbreaks and whether she aligns with Kennedy’s often-controversial positions on vaccine safety.