Susan Monarez, the recently confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is refusing to leave her post after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced her removal less than a month into her tenure.
Monarez, a longtime government scientist, is pushing back legally, claiming she has not formally resigned or been fired.
Attorneys Mark Zaid and Abbe Lowell issued a statement saying Monarez “has neither resigned nor yet been fired,” and accused HHS and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of politicizing public health decisions.
Targeted for Rejecting Political Pressure
According to the legal statement posted online, Monarez was penalized for refusing to approve what her attorneys called “unscientific, reckless directives.”
They added that she refused to fire long-standing health officials or retract vaccine approvals, actions that were allegedly requested by HHS leadership.
“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda,” the statement read.
“Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired.”
Despite the public resistance from Monarez’s legal team, the White House insists her removal is final. White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital that Monarez
“is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” and that the White House “has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC.”
Vaccine Policy and Congressional Contact
The Washington Post reported that HHS officials, including Secretary Kennedy, pressured Monarez to reverse authorizations for certain COVID-19 vaccines. When Monarez reportedly hesitated, officials demanded her resignation.
Monarez allegedly attempted to escalate the situation by involving Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., the ranking member on the Senate’s health committee. That move further inflamed tensions with Kennedy’s office, according to sources familiar with the internal dispute.
HHS later issued a statement confirming her removal:
“Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people.”
Resignations Follow Monarez’s Removal
Monarez’s departure appears to have triggered a cascade of resignations from top CDC leadership.
According to Fox News Digital, at least three senior officials stepped down hours after news of Monarez’s removal: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, head of the National Centers for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease; and Debra Houry, the agency’s chief medical officer.
Daskalakis posted his resignation letter on X, formerly Twitter, saying he could no longer serve under an administration that treats the CDC “as a tool” to push policies not based on scientific consensus.
He directly criticized Secretary Kennedy’s recent vaccine policy revisions and broader health strategy, including cuts to HIV programming and gender-focused research.
Monarez was nominated by President Trump in March after the original nominee, Dr. Dave Weldon, withdrew. She was confirmed by the Senate in late July, becoming the first CDC director ever to require Senate approval, due to a 2022 law change.
She was also the first CDC director in more than 70 years without a medical degree, though she holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology.
