Susan Monarez was let go from her position as director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday, but her lawyers insist she can only be fired by President Donald Trump himself.
According to a social media message from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Monarez was as of Wednesday "no longer director" of the CDC, the nation's foremost public health agency.
But in a statement released Wednesday afternoon, attorneys for Monarez said she has not been fired and will not resign.
"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 signs on weaponizing public health for political gain and putting millions of American lives at risk," the statement read. "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."
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. @SecKennedy has full confidence in his team at @CDCgov who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious…
— HHS.gov (@HHSGov) August 27, 2025
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In a statement to Scripps News, Maine's Republican Sen. Susan Collins called the attempted dismissal of Monarez alarming.
"Susan Monarez is a highly capable scientist who brought a wealth of experience to the agency," Sen. Collins wrote. "While I recognize that the CDC Director serves at the pleasure of the President, I am alarmed that she has been fired after only three weeks on the job. Her departure has triggered the immediate resignation of four long-time experts at the agency, who will not be easily replaced, and who are respected worldwide."
At least four top CDC officials resigned from their positions this week, coinciding with the battle over the agency's leadership. The list includes Dr. Debra Houry, the agency's deputy director; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, head of the agency's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, head of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and Dr. Jennifer Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology.
Monarez's ouster comes less than a month after she was confirmed by the Senate to lead the CDC.
Monarez, 50, was named acting director in January and then tapped as the nominee in March after President Trump abruptly withdrew his first choice, David Weldon.
