August 28, 2025
As her attorney’s statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai, regarding the removal of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez. Her removal was announced by Health and Human Services (HHS) on X. Monarez’s lawyers maintain her removal was unlawful and that she remains in the position.
Why It Matters: Monarez was confirmed to the position on July 29. Her lawyers argue that only the president can remove her and say she was targeted because she “refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts” (X). The same day of the announcement, three other CDC directors resigned: head of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Daniel Jernigan; CDC Chief Medical Officer, Debra Houry; and the head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Demetre Daskalakis.
Big Picture: Under the Trump administration, multiple high-level officials have recently been removed. President Trump fired Fed Govenor Lisa Cook on Monday over allegations of mortgage fraud — a decision expected to face legal challenges, as Cook maintains there is no cause and she faces no current criminal charges. Earlier this month, President Trump also dismissed Commissioner of Labor Statistics Erika McEntarfer (Aug. 1), and National Security Agency Director General Timothy Haugh was fired on April 4. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency as well as two other officers on August 22.
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by Karly Code, based in Kentucky
