Trump nominates Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, as CDC director

The nomination comes after the CDC has cycled through a succession of mostly temporary leaders, including a Senate-confirmed director ousted in under a month, and follows the resignation of several key scientific staffers who cited fears of political interference in the agency’s health recommendations.

President Donald Trump nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday — the third person nominated to head the Atlanta-based public health agency since Trump returned to office in January 2025.

The nomination comes after the CDC has operated without a permanent, long-tenured director for months following the rapid dismissal of its only confirmed director under the current administration. Several key scientific leaders have since resigned, citing concerns that political interference would shape the agency’s research and health guidance.

Schwartz’s background

Schwartz holds both medical and law degrees. Much of her career was spent in military service, including a leadership role at the U.S. Coast Guard where she oversaw the organization’s system of 41 clinics and 150 sick bays. She later served as deputy surgeon general, where she helped lead uniformed medical and health professionals posted at the CDC and government health agencies serving the general public.

Trump described Schwartz in a social media post as “incredibly talented” and said, “She is a STAR!” Schwartz could not be reached for comment, according to the Associated Press.

A revolving door at the CDC

The administration’s first nominee to lead the CDC was former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon. His Senate confirmation hearing was canceled an hour before it was scheduled to begin in March 2025. Weldon said at the time that he had been told not enough senators were willing to vote for him.

The White House then turned to Susan Monarez, who had been serving as acting CDC director. Monarez was confirmed by the Senate but was ousted in less than a month. Administration officials said she was not aligned with their agenda.

Several key CDC scientific leaders resigned in protest, saying Monarez’s dismissal had dashed their hopes that a confirmed director would be able to guard against political meddling in the agency’s scientific research and health recommendations.

Since then, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya has been overseeing the CDC.

The agency has operated throughout this period under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had promised not to change the nation’s vaccination schedule before taking office. Kennedy subsequently said he would investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and moved toward a substantial rewrite of vaccine recommendations for children. A federal judge put some of those efforts on hold, according to the Associated Press.

Additional appointments

Trump also announced Thursday that Sean Slovenski, a former Walmart executive, would serve as CDC deputy director and chief operating officer. Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Texas health commissioner, was named CDC deputy director and chief medical officer. Dr. Sara Brenner, a former Food and Drug Administration administrator, was designated as a senior counselor for public health to Kennedy.

Reactions divided

Speaking at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday, Kennedy called the new team “extraordinary” and said he believed they were “really going to be able to revolutionize CDC and get it back on track.” In a social media post, Kennedy said he looks “forward to working together to restore trust, accountability, and scientific integrity” at the agency.

Not everyone welcomed the selection. Aaron Siri, a lawyer and ally of Kennedy in legal actions involving vaccines and pharmaceutical companies, criticized Schwartz’s nomination in a social media post. Siri cited her past promotion of vaccinations and said she “lacks the basic ethics and morals to lead the CDC.”

Broader leadership picture

The CDC nomination comes as scrutiny of the Health and Human Services Department has widened. Dr. Casey Means, Trump’s pick for surgeon general, has had difficulty getting confirmed after appearing for a confirmation hearing in February. Lawmakers of both parties have expressed skepticism about the direction Kennedy has taken the department, according to the Associated Press.