Follow Up: Turmoil at the CDC Amidst Vaccine Policy Disputes
The departing CDC leaders cited intense pressure to implement unscientific directives and politically motivated changes, particularly concerning vaccine recommendations.
Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post
Overview
Date: August 28, 2025
Topic: Turmoil at the CDC: Director Fired and Top Officials Resign Amidst Vaccine Policy Disputes
Summary: On August 28, 2025, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez was abruptly fired, less than a month after her confirmation, following a standoff with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy. Her dismissal, alongside the mass resignations of several high-ranking CDC officials, has plunged the agency into chaos. The departing leaders cited intense pressure to implement unscientific directives and politically motivated changes, particularly concerning vaccine recommendations, sparking widespread alarm among public health experts and senators about the integrity and future of the nation’s public health system.
Sources
The New York Times - C.D.C. Standoff: Kennedy’s Push to Fire Director Devolves Into Chaos
CNN - RFK Jr. tightens grip on public health and vaccines with ouster of top CDC official
Fox News - CDC official includes ‘pregnant people’ terminology and pronouns in resignation letter
The Washington Post - 5 big collisions between RFK Jr. and CDC scientists before director was fired
The Wall Street Journal - Senate Republicans Express Alarm Over CDC Director’s Firing
Key Points
Director Fired and Officials Resign: All articles confirm the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez and the subsequent resignations of multiple top agency officials, including Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Debra Houry, and Dr. Daniel Jernigan.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Central Role: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is identified across all sources as the driving force behind the turmoil, pushing for significant changes in vaccine policy and clashing with CDC leadership. His history of vaccine skepticism and efforts to reshape public health agencies are consistently highlighted.
Concerns Over Politicization of Science: There is a shared concern among public health experts and senators, as reported by all sources, that the Trump administration and RFK Jr. are undermining scientific integrity, politicizing public health decisions, and potentially endangering public health by pushing unscientific directives.
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Reshaped: Multiple articles detail Kennedy’s ouster of the previous ACIP members and their replacement with his own appointees, some of whom have expressed vaccine-skeptical views. This move is seen as a key factor in the dispute over future vaccine recommendations.
Monarez’s Refusal to Comply: Dr. Monarez’s refusal to “rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives” or fire her leadership team is widely reported as the reason for her dismissal.
Impact on CDC Morale and Functionality: Several articles note plummeting morale at the CDC due to mass layoffs, budget cuts, and the ongoing leadership crisis, raising serious questions about the agency’s ability to respond to future health emergencies.
Senate Dismay and Calls for Oversight: Senators from both parties, including Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), have expressed dismay over the events and called for oversight, investigations, or delays in upcoming ACIP meetings. Kennedy is scheduled to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on September 4.
Kennedy’s Justification: Kennedy, in appearances on Fox News, consistently states that the CDC is “in trouble” and needs “fixing,” implying that personnel changes are necessary to align with President Trump’s agenda.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times: Details that guards escorted three top officials from the Atlanta headquarters and that a planned “clap-out” send-off was preempted. It also specifies the upcoming ACIP agenda items, including hepatitis B, Covid, RSV, and MMRV vaccines. It quotes Dr. Richard Besser on Monarez’s refusal to do anything “illegal” or that “flew in the face of science.” The article also mentions Dr. Jennifer Layden, who resigned a day earlier, and the impact of a deadly shooting at the CDC in early August.
CNN: Reports that Monarez’s firing followed days of pressure from Kennedy’s deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, and that Monarez clashed with Kennedy over “an impending announcement that could draw links between immunizations and autism.” It also highlights broader impacts, such as “massive reductions to US-funded health programs worldwide,” and mentions that Monarez was not Trump’s first choice for CDC director.
Fox News: Exclusively focuses on Dr. Demetre Daskalakis’s resignation letter, specifically highlighting his use of “pregnant people” terminology and “he/his/him” pronouns. It includes critical reactions from conservative figures like Jeremy Redfern, Karol Markowicz, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis regarding this language and Daskalakis’s additional accusations that the administration is attempting “to erase transgender populations” and “cease critical domestic and international HIV programming.”
The Washington Post: Reveals that Monarez wrote an op-ed about the CDC shooting and vaccine misinformation, which HHS returned with “significant revisions,” causing her to withdraw it. Dr. Daniel Jernigan stated his “last straw” was being forced to work with David Geier, a proponent of the false link between vaccines and autism, and concerns over patient privacy with vaccine safety data. The article also cites Kennedy’s specific criticism of the hepatitis B vaccine for infants and his false claim about abortion being listed on the CDC website.
The Washington Post: Organizes “5 big collisions” chronologically, including details about mass HHS layoffs and restructuring shortly after Kennedy took office, two previous CDC experts (Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos and Fiona Havers) quitting over earlier vaccine policy changes, and Kennedy ordering the CDC to promote vitamin A as a measles treatment without initially including warnings about excessive dosage. It also details an NPR investigation refuting Kennedy’s claims of conflicts of interest within the former ACIP.
The Wall Street Journal: Notes that during his confirmation, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) had secured concessions from Kennedy, including promises to maintain current federal vaccine recommendations and CDC website pages refuting a link between vaccines and autism.
Contrasting Details
Monarez’s Departure: Firing vs. Refusal to Resign After Initial Agreement:
The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post consistently state that Dr. Susan Monarez was fired by the White House, with her lawyers asserting she refused to resign due to her commitment to protecting public health over political agendas.
The Wall Street Journal (citing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt) presents a slightly different sequence, claiming Kennedy asked Monarez to resign, and she initially agreed but then reversed her decision, leading to her termination. This implies a period where resignation was considered before her ultimate firing.
Kennedy’s Consistency on Vaccine Stance:
The New York Times, CNN, and The Washington Post portray Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a long-standing vaccine skeptic who has promoted false links between vaccines and autism.
The Wall Street Journal highlights that during his confirmation, Kennedy made specific concessions to Senator Bill Cassidy, promising to maintain current federal vaccine recommendations and preserve CDC website pages refuting a vaccine-autism link. This contrasts with his current actions and public statements, suggesting a potential discrepancy between his promises to secure confirmation and his subsequent policy implementation.
Scope of Grievances for Resignations:
Most articles primarily attribute the resignations and Monarez’s firing to disputes over vaccine policy and scientific integrity.
Fox News, focusing on Dr. Demetre Daskalakis’s resignation letter, uniquely highlights his explicit inclusion of concerns beyond just vaccine policy, such as the administration’s efforts to “erase transgender populations,” “cease critical domestic and international HIV programming,” and “terminate key research to support equity.” This indicates a broader range of administrative policies contributing to at least one official’s departure.
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