Trump Nominates Erica Schwartz as CDC Chief

Trump nominates Erica Schwartz as CDC director amid leadership turmoil and policy debates.

By Charles C. James — Political news editor

Last updated: April 17, 2026 12:00 am • 4 Min Read

Trump nominates Erica Schwartz as CDC director amid leadership turmoil and policy debates.

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<h2>Background and Nomination for CDC Leadership</h2>

<p>Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, was proposed by President Donald Trump on Thursday to take over as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trump called Schwartz “incredibly talented” and declared, “She is a STAR!” The Atlanta-based CDC, tasked with shielding Americans from avoidable health risks, has been in disarray since Trump took office again more than a year ago, with a string of mostly temporary leaders.Schwartz has a number of academic credentials, including degrees in law and medicine. Her career has mostly been spent in a military uniform, including a senior role in the U.S. Coast Guard, where she was in charge of the organization's 150 sick bays and 41 clinics. Later, she held the position of deputy surgeon general, where she assisted in managing uniformed medical personnel stationed at the CDC and public health agencies. Schwartz was unavailable for comment.</p>

<h2>Changes in Leadership and the Policy Environment</h2>

<p>Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health Secretary, is in charge of the organization and has vowed not to alter the country's immunization schedule. Kennedy, however, declared soon after assuming office that he would look into the childhood vaccination schedule and attempted to significantly revise the guidelines for children's vaccinations. A federal judge recently halted some of such initiatives. Former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon was the administration's first choice to lead the CDC, but his Senate confirmation hearing in March 2025 was postponed an hour before it was scheduled to start. At the time, Weldon claimed to have been informed that not enough senators would support him. After that, the White House turned to Susan Monarez, who had been acting head of the CDC. In less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate, Monarez was removed from office. Officials from the Trump administration fired her because they said she didn't support their goals.</p>

<h2>Responses, Schedules, and Continued Discussion</h2>

<p>Several key CDC scientific leaders resigned in protest, saying Monarez’s dismissal dashed their hopes that a CDC director would be able to guard against political meddling in the agency’s scientific research and health recommendations. Since then, the short-term position of acting director has been transferred from one Washington-based HHS official to another, creating a revolving door in agency leadership. For the past few weeks, Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health, has been in charge of the CDC. Kennedy described the new CDC staff as "extraordinary" during a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday. He stated, "I think this new team is really going to be able to transform CDC and get it back on track." Additionally, Sean Slovenski, a former Walmart executive, was appointed by Trump as the deputy director and chief operations officer of the CDC. The CDC appointed Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the Texas health commissioner, as its chief medical officer and deputy director. And Dr. Sara Brenner, a former Food and Drug Administration administrator, was designated as a senior counselor for public health to Kennedy. Kennedy welcomed Schwartz and the other appointees in a social media post on Thursday, stating that he is "looking forward to working together to restore trust, accountability, and scientific integrity" at the CDC. However, Schwartz's choice was opposed by Aaron Siri, a lawyer and Kennedy ally who has attacked vaccines and pharmaceutical industries. Siri criticized Schwartz's prior vaccine advocacy in a social media post, claiming that "she lacks the basic ethics and morals to lead the CDC." Schwartz's nomination coincides with the confirmation of Dr. Casey Means, Trump's choice for another important health-related position, U.S. surgeon general. Lawmakers from both parties have voiced doubts about the direction Kennedy has headed his agency, which is reflected in Means' stagnant nomination following his appearance for a confirmation hearing in February.</p>

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By Charles C. James ✔

Political news editor

Charles C. James is a Senior Political Correspondent with over a decade of experience covering Capitol Hill, federal policy, and national elections across the United States.