White House Names Jim O’Neill Acting CDC Director Amid Monarez Ouster

The Trump administration has appointed Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the ouster of Susan Monarez. Monarez, who was removed less than a month into her tenure, is contesting her firing and alleges she was dismissed for refusing to comply with what her legal team calls "unscientific, reckless directives" related to vaccine policy. This leadership upheaval at the CDC has sparked widespread resignations among senior officials and concerns from bipartisan lawmakers, including Senators Bill Cassidy and Bernie Sanders, who have called for congressional oversight. O’Neill, a biotech investor and former Bush administration official close to Trump ally Peter Thiel, is expected to support Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial health agenda, which critics say contradicts established vaccine science. The turmoil at the CDC highlights ongoing tensions within the agency as Kennedy pushes for significant changes in its institutional culture and policies. Despite Monarez’s refusal to leave her post, the White House confirmed O’Neill’s appointment as the interim leader amid this turbulent period.