Less than a month after her confirmation, the director of the CDC was fired

Susan Monarez was fired as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 50-year-old scientist was confirmed by the Senate on July 31, becoming the first person since 1953 to hold the position without a medical degree. Less than a month later, she was removed by the Trump administration. Hours after the announcement, Monarez's lawyer, Mark Zaid, issued a statement denying his client's departure.

The news was initially published by The Washington Post and later confirmed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), led by Robert Kennedy Jr.

"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. Secretary Kennedy has full confidence in his team at CDC, who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad," they posted on social media.

Previously, she served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). She also has experience at the White House, where she worked with the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council. 

Monarez was Donald Trump's second choice for the post. She was nominated after former congressman David Weldon failed to garner enough support among Senate Republicans. Thus, the scientist was confirmed with 51 votes in favor and 47 against.

A fight with Kennedy? The reasons for Monarez's departure

According to the Washington Post, Monarez had a falling out with Secretary Kennedy due to the FDA's decision to limit approval of new coronavirus vaccines to high-risk individuals.

"According to two people with knowledge of those conversations, Monarez was pressed for days by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., administration lawyers, and other officials over whether she would support rescinding certain approvals for coronavirus vaccines," according to two people with knowledge of those conversations. Kennedy and other officials questioned Monarez Monday on whether she was aligned with the administration’s efforts to change vaccine policy, the people said," the news outlet said.

After she allegedly refused to support the measure, RFK Jr. urged her to resign, stating that she was "not supporting Trump's agenda." Subsequently, the then-CDC director got Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, involved.

Cassidy, a gastroenterology physician, was one of the key names during Kennedy's nomination process, constantly pressing his positions on vaccine effectiveness.

"Cassidy privately pushed back on Kennedy’s demands, the people said, further angering Kennedy, who lambasted Monarez for involving the senator. (...) Administration officials instructed Monarez to either resign or be fired, the people said," the Post added.

Monarez does not consider herself fired

Shortly after the HHS announcement formalizing her departure, Monarez's lawyer released a statement asserting that his client had not resigned and did not consider herself to have been fired.

“First it was independent advisory committees and career experts. Then it was the dismissal of seasoned scientists. Now, Secretary Kennedy and HHS have set their sights on weaponizing public health for political gain and putting millions of American lives at risk,” Zaid wrote in conjunction with Abbe Lowell, who also represents Monarez.

"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. For that, she has been targeted. Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired, and as a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign," they added.