Trump picks acting CDC director Susan Monarez to lead agency

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump plans to nominate Dr Susan Monarez as director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the organisation she currently leads in an acting capacity, he said on March 24.

Dr Monarez, with 20 years of US government agency experience, was previously deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, a research funding agency that describes itself as supporting “transformative biomedical and health breakthroughs”.

She also previously held roles at the Department of Homeland Security and in the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Mr Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, said:“Dr Monarez brings decades of experience championing innovation, transparency, and strong public health systems.”

He added: “As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement.”

If confirmed by the US Senate, Dr Monarez will continue to lead the response to public health threats, including the growing measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico that has killed two people, and play a critical role in tackling the spread of bird flu.

Atlanta-based CDC, with an annual budget of US$17.3 billion (S$23.16 billion), tracks and responds to domestic and foreign threats to public health. Roughly two-thirds of its budget funds the public health and prevention activities of state and local health agencies.

It is also responsible for making vaccine recommendations for Americans, including by setting the childhood vaccination schedule, and funds vaccines for children who otherwise would not have access to them.

Dr Monarez would report to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has sown doubt about the safety of vaccines for decades. Her positions on vaccines are not widely known.

Mr Trump said she would work with Mr Kennedy on disease prevention and making the country healthy.

Dr Monarez is not a physician, but has a PhD in microbiology and immunology. She has served under both Republican and Democratic presidents.

The White House earlier in March withdrew the nomination of former Republican Representative Dave Weldon, a vaccine critic, to head the CDC. Mr Weldon told Reuters at the time that he had been informed there were not enough Senate votes to confirm him for the post.

The Republican-led Senate has confirmed several unconventional and controversial Trump picks, including Mr Kennedy, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defence secretary and director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard – who had been critical of US intelligence efforts.

Dr Monarez would require a vote from Senate Help Committee chairman Bill Cassidy, a doctor who had expressed wariness about Mr Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views. He ultimately cleared the path for his confirmation after Mr Kennedy pledged to protect existing vaccination programmes.

The White House also considered former Republican Representative Michael Burgess for the role, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters last week. REUTERS