Former President Donald Trump has accused Dr. Susan Monarez, the ex-acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of treason over her refusal to alter vaccine policies as requested by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's comments follow reports that Monarez was fired after resisting changes she believed contradicted scientific evidence.
According to Richard Besser, a former acting CDC director, Monarez told him she was asked to do two things she would never do: anything illegal or anything that 'flew in the face of science.' Besser's account suggests Monarez faced pressure to endorse vaccine claims that lacked scientific backing.
The dismissal has sparked backlash among CDC staff. On Thursday, employees cheered three departing officials who resigned in protest after Monarez's firing, as they left the CDC's Atlanta campus. The demonstration highlights growing tensions between career scientists and political appointees under the Trump administration.
A deputy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly set to replace Monarez as acting CDC head, raising concerns about the agency's independence. Critics warn that Kennedy, a prominent vaccine sceptic, may push policies that undermine public health.
