Fired CDC Director Prepares Explosive Senate Testimony
The fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director is set to deliver bombshell testimony Wednesday, alleging that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded she approve vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence—or lose her job.
Dr. Susan Monarez, who lasted just 29 days as CDC director before being ousted in August, will tell senators she was terminated for “holding the line on scientific integrity” during a contentious meeting with Kennedy that would ultimately define the Trump administration’s approach to vaccine policy.
The Ultimatum That Changed Everything
According to prepared testimony obtained by multiple news outlets, Monarez will reveal that Kennedy presented her with an impossible choice during their August 25 confrontation.
“Secretary Kennedy demanded two things of me that were inconsistent with my oath of office and the ethics required of a public official,” Monarez plans to tell the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “He directed me to commit in advance to approving every ACIP recommendation regardless of the scientific evidence. He also directed me to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy, without cause.”
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is the influential panel that guides national vaccine policy. Kennedy had already fired all 17 sitting members in June, replacing them with handpicked appointees—some of whom critics say are vaccine skeptics.
A Career Built on Evidence, Not Politics
Monarez’s refusal to buckle under pressure reflects decades of commitment to evidence-based medicine. The seasoned public health expert told Kennedy she couldn’t “pre-approve recommendations without reviewing the evidence” and had “no basis to fire scientific experts.”
Her stance puts a spotlight on a fundamental question facing American healthcare: Should political appointees dictate medical policy, or should career scientists guide decisions based on research and data?
“Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology or compromise my integrity,” Monarez will testify. “Vaccine policy must be guided by credible data, not predetermined outcomes.”
The Domino Effect of Dissent
Monarez’s firing triggered a cascade of resignations from senior CDC officials who viewed her ouster as an attack on scientific independence. Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s former chief medical officer and deputy director, resigned in protest and will join Monarez in Wednesday’s testimony.
Houry plans to tell senators that Kennedy’s actions “repeatedly censored CDC science, politicized our processes, and stripped agency leaders of the ability to protect the health of the American people.”
The exodus of experienced officials comes at a critical time, with measles outbreaks claiming children’s lives and childhood vaccination rates declining nationwide.
High-Stakes Vote This Week
Wednesday’s Senate hearing serves as a prelude to an even more consequential event: the reconstituted ACIP panel meets Thursday and Friday to vote on vaccine recommendations for hepatitis B, COVID-19, and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combination vaccine.
Several new committee members have made unproven claims about vaccines, including one who alleged, without evidence, that COVID shots cause “unprecedented levels of death and harm in young people.”
The hepatitis B vaccine for newborns faces particular scrutiny. Given routinely since 1991, the shot has prevented thousands of childhood infections that can lead to liver disease, cancer, and death later in life. Before universal newborn vaccination, approximately 18,000 children annually developed hepatitis B before age 10.
Kennedy’s Response: Accusations of “Insubordination”
Kennedy has pushed back aggressively against Monarez’s account. During his own Senate testimony earlier this month, he claimed she was “untrustworthy” and accused her of lying about the circumstances of her firing.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon escalated the rhetoric, claiming Monarez “acted maliciously to undermine” President Trump’s agenda and engaged in “insubordination” by “neglecting to implement President Trump’s executive orders” and “making policy decisions without the knowledge or consent of Secretary Kennedy.”
However, Monarez’s version paints a different picture: a career scientist refusing to compromise professional ethics for political expediency.
The Broader Stakes for Public Health
The CDC controversy reflects broader tensions within the Trump administration over the role of expertise in government. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has repeatedly clashed with career scientists who view evidence-based medicine as non-negotiable.
“There is real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need without rigorous scientific review,” Monarez warns in her testimony. “The stakes are not theoretical. We have already seen the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children.”
Public health experts worry that political interference in vaccine policy could reverse decades of progress against preventable diseases. Vaccination rates have already declined in many communities, creating vulnerabilities that disease outbreaks exploit.
What Happens Next?
While Wednesday’s Senate hearing will provide Monarez a platform to present her version of events, the real power lies with President Trump, who ultimately controls Kennedy’s fate at HHS.
“The Senate has very little leverage over Kennedy without Trump,” noted Lawrence Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. “Ultimately, Kennedy’s future at HHS depends on one man only, the President.”
However, public pressure from high-profile congressional testimony could influence Trump’s calculations, especially if concerns about vaccine policy begin affecting public health outcomes in visible ways.
A Test of Scientific Independence
The Monarez affair represents more than a personnel dispute—it’s a test of whether scientific integrity can survive political pressure in an era of deep skepticism about expertise and institutions.
As childhood disease outbreaks increase and vaccination rates decline, the consequences of this battle extend far beyond Washington politics. The decisions made this week at the CDC could affect the health of American children for years to come.
Call to Action:Â Contact your senators to express your views on the importance of evidence-based vaccine policy. Stay informed about your community’s vaccination rates and consult with healthcare providers about protecting your family’s health.
