White House, RFK backs CDC shake-up, union rep expresses concern
White House defends CDC shake-up as Kennedy pushes vaccine policy overhaul
The White House is standing by its decision to remove CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month into her tenure, describing the move as necessary to align the agency with President Donald Trump?s broader health agenda.
ATLANTA - The White House is standing by its decision to remove CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month into her tenure, describing the move as necessary to align the agency with President Donald Trump’s broader health agenda.
What we know:
Monarez’s dismissal set off a wave of resignations among senior CDC leaders and prompted a protest outside the agency’s Atlanta headquarters Thursday. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered to support the departing officials and to express concern about the direction of the agency.
In a statement Wednesday, Monarez’s attorneys said she was ousted because she refused to "rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives." The White House countered that she was not in step with the president’s goals. "We need strong leadership that will go in there and that will be able to execute on President Trump’s broad ambitions," the statement read.
The clash centers on vaccine policy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of federal vaccine programs, has already moved to narrow eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines this fall and winter. Kennedy has described the changes as part of a necessary overhaul, saying, "The agency is in trouble, and we need to fix it, and we are fixing it."
RELATED: RFK Jr warns CDC 'in trouble,' promises fixes as director refuses to step down
The other side:
The rapid changes have unsettled CDC staff. A union representative for more than 2,000 employees said the agency has been left without stable leadership and expressed concern about what lies ahead.
Late Thursday, officials confirmed that Jim O’Neill, Kennedy’s deputy at HHS, will step in as acting director of the CDC. O’Neill, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier this year as HHS deputy secretary, will lead the agency as the Biden administration continues its efforts to revise vaccine recommendations.
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What they're saying:
The three senior officials who resigned in protest say their work is not finished, and they plan to continue advocating for evidence-based public health policies.