President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The nomination was announced on April 16, 2024, following months of leadership turmoil at the agency.
Key Takeaways
President Donald Trump has nominated former deputy surgeon general Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the next CDC director amid ongoing leadership turmoil at the agency.
- President Trump announced Dr. Schwartz's nomination on April 16, 2024
- The CDC has lacked stable leadership throughout most of Trump's second term
- If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz will oversee U.S. vaccine policy and report to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams called Schwartz a 'home run pick' but warned she may face pressure from the vaccine-skeptical HHS department
The CDC has been without stable leadership throughout most of Trump's second term. According to Reuters, Susan Monarez served as confirmed director for less than a month in August 2023 before being fired over disagreements with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about vaccine policy changes.
Dr. Schwartz, who graduated from Brown University's medical school and has a law degree from the University of Maryland, served as deputy surgeon general during part of Trump's first administration until early in the Biden administration. She played a significant role in the federal COVID-19 response, according to The Guardian.
If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz would oversee U.S. vaccine policy and report directly to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The CDC has been operating with acting directors since Monarez's departure, most recently Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, whose term expired late last month under federal law limiting acting officials to 210 days.
Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams called Schwartz a 'home run pick' but warned that she may face pressure from the vaccine-skeptical Health and Human Services Department led by Kennedy. Adams highlighted recent clashes between Kennedy and previous CDC directors, including Monarez's ousting just weeks after her confirmation.
Trump also announced appointments for several senior CDC roles: Sean Slovenski, a former Walmart executive, was named deputy director and chief operating officer; Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Texas health commissioner, became the CDC's deputy director and chief medical officer; and Dr. Sara Brenner, a former Food and Drug Administration administrator, was designated as a senior counselor for public health to Kennedy.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that he did not discuss Dr. Schwartz's nomination with President Trump, according to UPI. Kennedy revealed in a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing that HHS chief counselor Chris Klomp brought up the nomination to Trump. While Kennedy had met with Schwartz on multiple occasions and discussed her views on vaccinations, he denied having direct conversations with Trump about her selection.
During the hearing, Rep. Raul Ruiz questioned whether Kennedy would support vaccine guidance from Schwartz or fire her as he did with Monarez. Kennedy denied that he fired Monarez solely over disagreements about vaccines but acknowledged their differing views. The hearing also addressed recent changes to childhood vaccination schedules and funding for vaccine research.
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