President Trump Nominates Erica Schwartz as New CDC Director Amid Leadership Changes
President Trump has nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This nomination comes after a period of rapid leadership changes within the agency. Schwartz, who has a medical degree from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Maryland, is set to become the fourth person to lead the CDC in the past year. Her nomination follows the firing of Susan Monarez, the first CDC director confirmed by the Senate under a 2023 law, who was dismissed after clashing with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over COVID-19 vaccine policies. Jay Bhattacharya, who has been serving as the acting director, will step down once Schwartz is confirmed. The nomination is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to stabilize the CDC, which has faced internal unrest and high-profile resignations.