In a rare and dramatic move, nine former directors and acting directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a stark warning to the American public: the nation’s health is at risk under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Their joint essay, published on September 2, 2025, in The New York Times and titled “We Ran the CDC: Kennedy Is Endangering the Health of All Americans,” signals an unprecedented level of alarm from both Democratic and Republican public health veterans.
The signatories—William Foege, William Roper, David Satcher, Jeffrey Koplan, Richard Besser, Tom Frieden, Anne Schuchat, Rochelle P. Walensky, and Mandy K. Cohen—have collectively steered the CDC through crises for decades. Yet, as they explained in their essay, they “had never before come together to make a joint statement of this magnitude,” underscoring the gravity of the current moment. Their central concern: Kennedy’s decisions threaten the scientific bedrock of U.S. health policy and, ultimately, public safety.
At the heart of the controversy is the abrupt firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, who had only recently been confirmed by the Senate. Monarez’s ouster, confirmed by the White House, came after she allegedly refused to implement what she described as “reckless orders” on vaccines—orders she believed were not grounded in scientific evidence. According to her attorneys, she was removed for declining to “rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives.” The fallout was immediate: at least four senior officials, including Deputy Director Debra Houry and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, resigned in protest, citing the erosion of scientific integrity within the agency. Daskalakis, a high-profile public health leader, had previously gained national attention for his innovative outreach in the LGBTQ community and pandemic response.
The leadership vacuum at the CDC has triggered a wave of concern among medical professionals and lawmakers. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, voiced deep apprehension about the agency’s ability to manage public health threats. “The removal of the CDC Director and resignation of key leaders raises serious questions about our country's ability to respond to a public health crisis if it were to happen today,” she said in a statement on September 2. She criticized the lack of transparency and the “whipsawing” effect the rapid changes have had on healthcare professionals and the public. “Americans deserve steady and consistent leadership at the helm of the CDC to safeguard their health, safety, the economy and national security.”
Medical associations have echoed these concerns. Bobby M. Mukkamala, MD, president of the American Medical Association, described the situation as “highly alarming,” emphasizing the need to restore confidence in public health institutions and ensure that “scientific expertise and data drive guidance and policy.”
The political fallout has been swift and fierce. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut accused President Donald Trump and Secretary Kennedy of “dismantling the CDC” in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. Murphy charged that the agency was being transformed from a public health institution into “a money-making conspiracy racket,” warning, “people are going to get killed because of what is happening this week at the CDC.” He alleged that Kennedy had a history of profiting from anti-vaccine activism and that the administration’s actions were “hurting families” and “putting the security of this country at risk.”
Murphy’s criticisms were not isolated. Senator Peter Welch of Vermont went further, calling Kennedy “a lunatic” and demanding his removal. Meanwhile, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a Republican, expressed bipartisan concern, stating that the firing of Monarez and the other departures “raises considerable questions about what is happening within the agency.” She supported calls for greater congressional oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Richard Besser, former acting CDC director and one of the essay’s co-authors, did not mince words in a CNN interview. He labeled Kennedy “a major ideologue,” adding, “He is one of the leading anti-vaccine proponents in the nation, and he came in clearly set on moving forward with his agenda.” Besser pointed out that Kennedy had promised the Senate not to let ideology override science, “although he promised the Senate he would not.”
The former directors’ essay cataloged a series of decisions they believe have undermined the CDC’s effectiveness. Among their chief complaints: Kennedy canceled investments in promising medical research, suspended support for global vaccination programs, and replaced seasoned experts on advisory committees with individuals chosen for their ideological alignment rather than their qualifications. The directors argued that these moves “represent a setback in U.S. health policy” and called on Congress to exercise stricter oversight to prevent the further dismantling of public health infrastructure.
Kennedy’s personal stances have only fueled the controversy. He has long expressed skepticism about vaccines, a position that has alarmed the scientific community and international health organizations. In August 2025, Kennedy announced a full ban on thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in flu vaccines, calling it a “neurotoxin” despite consensus from the medical community that it is safe in the doses used. He has also replaced the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with a panel that includes vaccine skeptics, a move critics say could further erode public trust in immunization programs and threaten the nation’s preparedness for disease outbreaks.
Further, Kennedy has spoken out against abortion and the controlled fluoridation of drinking water—positions that clash with established law and decades of scientific evidence. Perhaps most controversially, he has announced a forthcoming report that he claims will identify definitive causes of autism, despite overwhelming scientific consensus that no link exists between vaccines and autism. The former CDC directors warned that such statements “contribute to the spread of misinformation, undermining trust in public health institutions.”
President Trump has also weighed in, demanding that pharmaceutical companies “justify the success of their various Covid Drugs,” suggesting that the efficacy of vaccines and treatments remains an open question—a stance that further muddies the waters for a public already bombarded by conflicting messages.
In the wake of Monarez’s firing, Jim O’Neill, a former deputy secretary at Health and Human Services and Trump ally, has been named acting CDC director. The White House has defended the leadership transition, with Kennedy insisting the CDC required “strong leadership” to address what he called a “deeply embedded malaise.”
As the dust settles, public health advocates are left grappling with the implications of these sweeping changes. The American Nurses Association and other medical groups have called for a reconstitution of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel to ensure robust debate and scientific integrity. “Ensuring stability and integrity within our public health infrastructure is not optional, it is imperative for the health, well-being and security of our nation,” Mensik Kennedy emphasized.
With the CDC’s leadership in flux and its scientific mission under siege, the nation faces a critical juncture. The coming months will test whether America’s public health institutions can withstand unprecedented political pressure—or whether, as the former directors warn, the health of all Americans truly hangs in the balance.
