5 high-level CDC officials leaving in latest turmoil for public health agency in Trump administration
Source: CBS News/AP
March 25, 2025 / 6:37 PM EDT
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was rocked by five high-level departures on Tuesday in the latest turmoil for the nation's top public health agency. The departures were announced at a meeting of agency senior leaders. The Atlanta-based CDC has two dozen centers and offices the heads of five of them are stepping down, and that follows three other departures in recent weeks. This means close to a third of the agency's top management is leaving or left recently.
The departures — described as retirements — were not announced publicly. The Associated Press confirmed the news with two CDC officials who were not authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity, and CBS News also confirmed it with the CDC. The announcements come a day after the White House announced it is nominating Susan Monarez to be CDC director. Monarez has been the CDC's acting head since January and previously served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
But it's not clear how much, if any, influence that had on the leaders' decision to leave. The Trump administration earlier this month withdrew its nomination of former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon just before a Senate hearing; an administration official said it was clear he didn't have the votes to be confirmed.
CDC employees — including the organization's leaders — have been bracing themselves for moves by the Trump administration to lay off staff and possibly dramatically reorganize the agency. White House officials are reviewing a work force reduction proposal for CDC and other federal health agencies that was submitted earlier this month. Its contents have not been disclosed.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-officials-leaving-health-agency/