CDC Director Monarez Refuses Resignation Amid HHS Firing Dispute

Susan Monarez, who was confirmed just weeks ago as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is at the center of a high-profile dispute with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS announced that Monarez is no longer CDC director, but her attorneys have stated she has neither resigned nor received formal termination notification, and she refuses to step down. Monarez reportedly resisted pressure to approve changes to COVID-19 vaccine policies without consulting advisors and to dismiss experienced health experts, prioritizing scientific integrity over political directives. Her legal representatives accused HHS and Kennedy of weaponizing public health for political purposes, endangering millions of lives. The controversy follows Kennedy’s broader changes at HHS, including altering vaccine policies and ousting advisory panels, which have drawn criticism from health officials. Several other top CDC officials have also resigned amid these sweeping shifts in the agency's leadership and direction.