A Washington Post report on Wednesday claimed that Susan Monarez, the recently appointed Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), had been fired by the Trump administration. The report suggested that a nationwide call with CDC employees was canceled due to her dismissal.
However, Monarez’s legal team immediately refuted the claims, stating she is still serving as CDC Director and has received no official termination notice from the White House.
Lawyers: ‘Neither Resigned Nor Been Fired’
Abbe Lowell and I represent @CDCgov Director Susan Monarez. Contrary to govt statements, Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor yet been fired. We have issued the following statement: pic.twitter.com/5OHbwMkVIQ
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) August 27, 2025
In a statement released Wednesday, attorneys Mark S. Zaid and Abbe David Lowell strongly denied the firing reports: “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.”
The attorneys accused Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of targeting Monarez for refusing to endorse politically motivated directives: “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.”
They added: “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.”
Background: Monarez Confirmed Just Weeks Ago
The controversy comes less than a month after Susan Monarez was sworn in as CDC Director on July 31, following Senate confirmation. She previously served in senior roles at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), building a reputation as a leading expert in biodefense and public health policy.
The Washington Post report did not cite a specific reason for her alleged firing, and the White House has yet to issue an official statement.
What’s Next for the CDC?
The dispute highlights a growing power struggle over public health policy within the administration, as critics warn of political interference in scientific decision-making. For now, Monarez’s attorneys maintain she is still the legitimate head of the CDC, vowing that she will not step down.
