Fired CDC Director Accuses RFK Jr. of Weaponising Public Health’ as Top Officials Resign

Washington, D.C. – Susan Monarez, recently appointed director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was fired this week after refusing to step down amid escalating tensions with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she accused of “weaponising public health.”

Monarez, who held the position for less than a month following Senate confirmation, became a central figure in a growing conflict over vaccine policies and public health messaging. Her dismissal was announced by the White House with a statement appreciating her service but confirming her exit. Legal representatives for Monarez described the firing as “legally deficient,” stating she was targeted for standing up against politically driven directives.

The upheaval at the CDC has intensified as four senior officials resigned in the wake of Monarez’s firing. Resignees include the agency’s chief medical officer, the head of infectious diseases, and directors responsible for immunization and public health data. Several cited the marginalization of science and concerns about misinformation and budget cuts as reasons for their departures.

Monarez publicly criticized Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, for undermining public health efforts by reshaping vaccine policies, dismissing experts, and limiting COVID-19 vaccine access. She warned this politicization of science could endanger public safety, especially among vulnerable populations.

The turmoil follows other challenges for the CDC this year, including hundreds of layoffs and a violent shooting at the agency’s Atlanta headquarters linked to vaccine misinformation.

Kennedy’s tenure as Health Secretary has been marked by controversial moves including the halt of mRNA vaccine contracts and changes to COVID-19 vaccination guidelines. Despite this, he maintains strong support from the White House.

As tensions rise, public health officials and experts warn that these internal conflicts risk eroding trust in science-based health guidance in one of the nation’s key health institutions.