The Trump administration announced on Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should align with the president’s “Make America Healthy” (Maha) initiative.
In a discussion on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his disappointment with the CDC, criticizing its focus on water freezes, vaccines, and abortion as central to public health.
“We really need to reevaluate the agency’s priorities,” Kennedy stated during the interview. “The agency is facing significant challenges, so it’s essential that we address them, and yes, maybe we need to rethink who works there.”
Kennedy has been pushing for changes within a panel that advises the CDC on vaccine approvals, particularly regarding the Covid-19 vaccine’s accessibility in recent months. He aims to redirect the focus of public health agencies toward environmental toxins, which he believes contribute to obesity, autism, and mental health problems.
According to reports, Kennedy demanded the resignation of a top official, Monarez, over disagreements about vaccine policies. Monarez’s lawyers insisted she would only be dismissed by Trump, as she was a Senate-approved appointee.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt indicated on Thursday that Monarez would soon be replaced and noted that those who did not support Trump’s Maha agenda could expect similar consequences.
“Her lawyer’s statement made it clear she wasn’t aligned with the president’s objective of improving America’s health,” Leavitt mentioned during a press conference. “If someone doesn’t share the vision of the president or secretary, we’ll show them the door.”
Following Monarez’s firing, four CDC officials, including Chief Medical Officer Debhayai, announced their resignations on Wednesday night.
Kennedy commented that while it seemed “inappropriate” to discuss HR matters, he wasn’t surprised by the resignations. Demetre Daskarakis, who led the agency’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, shared his resignation letter on social media. He expressed concern about the disconnect between Kennedy’s priorities and his role at the agency.
“We can’t effectively serve the public in an environment that doesn’t uphold scientific integrity and uses the CDC to generate harmful policies instead of promoting health,” he stated in his resignation letter.
“I’m uncertain who the secretary is taking advice from, but it certainly isn’t from us,” he added, commenting on the reliance on outside organizations that contradict established science.
