Trump Picks Acting CDC Director Susan Monarez to Lead the Agency

Introduction to Susan Monarez

President Donald Trump has selected Susan Monarez as his new nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Monarez, a scientist whose previous work looked at using artificial intelligence to improve health, has already been serving as acting director.

Announcement and Background

Trump made the announcement Monday on Truth Social. "Dr. Monarez brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems," he wrote. Trump also wrote that Monarez would work closely with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Previous Actions as Acting Director

As acting director at the CDC, Monarez carried out directives from the White House to scrub the agency’s website of anything related to "gender ideology." Last month, a judge ordered the CDC to restore the webpages it had deleted. Many pages on its website, including one about preventing HIV infection, are now topped with a statement that reads, in part, "Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality that there are two sexes, male and female."

Replacement of Previous Nominee

The White House abruptly withdrew Trump’s first pick, Dr. Dave Weldon, a Republican former congressman from Florida, just before he was scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee three weeks ago. Weldon had a history of questioning the safety of vaccines, including the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, falsely linking it to autism.

Current Challenges

Monarez will take the helm as the United States is in the midst of a growing measles outbreak in Texas and two other states that has killed an adult and a child. Before she joined the CDC, Monarez was deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, a research funding agency focused on biomedical innovations.

Confirmation Process

It will be the first time a CDC director will be required to go through the Senate confirmation process, in which she’s sure to face questions about her views on vaccines. A date for the hearing had not been set Monday afternoon.

Conclusion

The selection of Susan Monarez as the nominee to head the CDC comes at a critical time for public health in the United States. With the current measles outbreak and the controversy surrounding vaccine safety, Monarez’s views and actions will be closely watched. Her background in using artificial intelligence to improve health and her experience as acting director will likely be scrutinized during the Senate confirmation process.

FAQs

• Q: Who is Susan Monarez?
  A: Susan Monarez is a scientist who has been selected by President Trump as the new nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Q: What was Monarez’s previous role?
  A: Monarez was serving as the acting director of the CDC before being nominated for the permanent position.
• Q: What challenges will Monarez face as CDC director?
  A: Monarez will face challenges such as the current measles outbreak and questions about her views on vaccines during the Senate confirmation process.
• Q: What is the significance of Monarez’s nomination?
  A: Monarez’s nomination is significant because it will be the first time a CDC director will be required to go through the Senate confirmation process.