HHS Deputy Jim O’Neill Named CDC Acting Director Amid Leadership Turmoil

The White House has appointed Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the dismissal of Susan Monarez, who was ousted less than a month after her appointment. Monarez is contesting her firing, claiming she refused to comply with what she described as unscientific directives and political pressure from the administration led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is seeking to reshape the CDC's culture and vaccine policies. Kennedy, whose leadership has prompted bipartisan concern, has advanced anti-vaccine positions that conflict with established scientific consensus, leading to calls from some senators for congressional oversight and demands for Kennedy’s removal. The turmoil at the CDC has escalated as Kennedy’s reshaped advisory committee prepares to issue new immunization recommendations, further fueling controversy. O’Neill, who lacks a medical background but has experience in federal health roles and private sector leadership, is expected to continue serving as HHS deputy while taking on the acting CDC director role. The White House has stated Monarez was "not aligned" with President Donald Trump’s agenda, but no formal explanation for her removal has been provided, leaving the agency in a state of unrest and prompting staff protests.