US CDC director ousted after less than a month in office

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez was removed from her position less than a month after Senate confirmation, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Wednesday.

"Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people," the department wrote on the US social media company X's platform.

The statement emphasized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s support for the remaining CDC staff.

Kennedy "will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad," it said.

Monarez, a microbiologist with a PhD, was confirmed by the Senate on July 29 and sworn into office by Kennedy on July 31. Her brief leadership occurred during significant turmoil at the CDC, the nation's premier public health agency responsible for disease surveillance, outbreak response and health protection.

The CDC has faced considerable challenges during her tenure, including policy changes and staff cuts implemented under Kennedy's oversight.

Nearly 10,000 HHS workers were laid off in March as part of an effort to shrink the federal workforce, with the aim of reducing the department's staff from 82,000 full-time workers to 62,000.