5 high-level officials leave CDC

Five top-level officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced their departures — described as retirements — during a Tuesday meeting at the agency, according to a report.

The news comes a day after President Trump named acting director Susan Monarez as his nominee to lead the agency.

The Associated Press first reported on the surprise departures, citing two officials the news wire didn't name. The report noted that it's not clear whether Monarez's nomination had any impact on the leaders’ decision to step down.

The CDC didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment.

Monarez was named as Trump's new pick for the job Monday after former Rep. Dave Weldon's (R-Fla.) nomination was withdrawn before a confirmation hearing. Weldon, a medical doctor and Army veteran who was in the House from 1995-2019, had faced scrutiny over previous statements about vaccines.

The CDC director job now requires Senate confirmation under a 2023 law that went into effect this year.

“As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Trump had notably tapped Monarez from a research agency under the Department of Health and Human Services at the start of his term to temporarily lead the CDC, rather than picking an acting director from within the agency.

In announcing his nomination, Trump said she "brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems."

The CDC is one of several agencies facing potentially drastic staff reductions under Trump's overhaul of the federal workforce, and CBS News recently reported that employees were bracing for "devastating" cutbacks. The CDC is juggling response to ongoing outbreaks of measles and bird flu, along with other diseases.

The officials who announced their retirements this week, according to the AP, are: Leslie Ann Dauphin, who oversees the Public Health Infrastructure Center; Dr. Karen Remley, who heads the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; Sam Posner, head of the Office of Science; Debra Lubar, who runs the Office of Policy, Performance and Evaluation; and Leandris Liburd, head of the Office of Health Equity.