Susan Monarez, world leader in health, chosen by Trump to head CDC

On Monday, President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Susan Monarez as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cementing her interim role at the agency since January 2025.

The decision follows the withdrawal of Dr. David Weldon's nomination earlier this month, a former Florida congressman, due to doubts about his confirmation in the Senate.

A profile in health innovation leadership

Dr. Susan Monarez is a globally recognized leader with more than twenty years of experience in healthcare innovation. Before taking over as acting director of the CDC, she served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) from January 2023. At ARPA-H, she led high-impact initiatives focused on biomedical breakthroughs and transformative health solutions.

Her background also includes the White House, where she collaborated with the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council, driving projects to combat antimicrobial resistance, protect health data privacy, and improve pandemic preparedness.

In addition, she held leadership roles in the Department of Homeland Security and promoted international cooperation in health research.

Monarez has also been noted for her work on the ethical use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve health outcomes, an approach that reflects her commitment to innovation.

The nomination and confirmation process

If confirmed by the Senate, a requirement set by a congressional amendment in 2022, Monarez will formally take over as head of CDC. Her nomination beat other candidates such as ex-Texas congressman Michael Burgess and Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo.

In a message on Truth Social, Trump described Monarez as "an incredible mother and dedicated public servant.” He further noted that Dr. Monarez "understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future."

Part of President Trump's decision is because "Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement."

He stressed that "Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr. Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!”

Although Kennedy Jr. has not yet commented on Monarez's nomination, he did express on X his Trump-aligned vision for health agencies:

"We’re committed to restoring our health agencies to their gold-standard tradition of evidence-based science — through greater efficiency and accountability."

Dr. Monarez will assume the role at a critical time for the CDC, as the organization faces challenges related to the loss of public trust. However, her ARPA-H experience and health policy background position her as a key figure in leading this transformation, which is still pending Senate approval.