By — Erica R. Hendry Erica R. Hendry Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-ousted-cdc-director-monarezs-opening-statement-in-senate-hearing-on-rfk-jr-kids-health Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Ousted CDC Director Monarez’s opening statement in Senate hearing on RFK Jr., kids’ health Politics Sep 17, 2025 11:37 AM EDT Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified in a Senate hearing Wednesday about the political pressure she says she faced from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. WATCH: Ousted CDC head Monarez testifies on agency upheaval under RFK Jr. In her opening statement, she said Kennedy asked her to preapprove vaccine recommendations from a CDC panel without seeing scientific evidence. He also “directed me to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy without cost.” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. She said Kennedy told her if she was unwilling to do both, she should resign. Kennedy has denied these claims and told senators earlier this month that she was lying. “I was honored to be nominated by President Trump and confirmed with the Senate’s support. Secretary Kennedy himself swore me in on July 31, calling me a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials. My tenure as CDC director lasted 29 days. Since my removal, several explanations have been offered — that I told the secretary I would resign, that I was not aligned with the administration priorities, or that I was untrustworthy. None of those reflect what actually happened.” Monarez’s firing led to the resignations of several other top health officials, including chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry, who also testified in Wednesday’s hearing. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. The hearing comes a day before a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, has come under fire for removing all members of the board and replacing them with people who align with his views. The panel is expected to vote on authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, among others. “Today should not be about me,” Monarez said. “Today should be about the future of trust in public health.” “The stakes are not theoretical,” she said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Erica R. Hendry Erica R. Hendry Erica R. Hendry is the managing editor for digital at PBS NewsHour. @ericarhendry
Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified in a Senate hearing Wednesday about the political pressure she says she faced from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. WATCH: Ousted CDC head Monarez testifies on agency upheaval under RFK Jr. In her opening statement, she said Kennedy asked her to preapprove vaccine recommendations from a CDC panel without seeing scientific evidence. He also “directed me to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy without cost.” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. She said Kennedy told her if she was unwilling to do both, she should resign. Kennedy has denied these claims and told senators earlier this month that she was lying. “I was honored to be nominated by President Trump and confirmed with the Senate’s support. Secretary Kennedy himself swore me in on July 31, calling me a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials. My tenure as CDC director lasted 29 days. Since my removal, several explanations have been offered — that I told the secretary I would resign, that I was not aligned with the administration priorities, or that I was untrustworthy. None of those reflect what actually happened.” Monarez’s firing led to the resignations of several other top health officials, including chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry, who also testified in Wednesday’s hearing. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. The hearing comes a day before a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, has come under fire for removing all members of the board and replacing them with people who align with his views. The panel is expected to vote on authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, among others. “Today should not be about me,” Monarez said. “Today should be about the future of trust in public health.” “The stakes are not theoretical,” she said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now