United States President, Donald Trump, has nominated a new candidate to head the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, selecting a seasoned public health expert with extensive experience in vaccination programs, an indication of what appears to be a shifting tone within the administration on vaccine policy.
Dr. Erica Schwartz was named to lead the embattled agency just hours after US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress, where he made some of his most openly supportive remarks yet regarding vaccines.
During the hearing, Kennedy acknowledged the effectiveness of measles vaccination, stating that it is safe and effective “for most people” and can, in some cases, be safer than contracting the disease itself.
His comments came as he faced intense questioning from Democrats during a House Ways and Means Committee session on Thursday morning.
Kennedy also appeared to concede when pressed by Rep. Linda Sanchez, a Democrat from California, who asked whether a child’s life during a major measles outbreak in Texas last year might have been saved through vaccination.
However, his testimony shifted at other moments. When Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean raised concerns that his past skepticism had contributed to declining immunisation rates, Kennedy pushed back strongly.
“They had nothing to do with me,” Kennedy said during a hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee on health. “Vaccination rates dropped after Covid because of mismanagement.”
These exchanges are expected to shape the scrutiny Schwartz will face when she appears before the Senate for confirmation, particularly regarding whether she will distance herself from Kennedy on contentious vaccine-related policies.
Schwartz previously served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term, spent more than two decades in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and held the rank of rear admiral in the Coast Guard.
She earned her medical degree from Brown University and later obtained a law degree from the University of Maryland.
Her nomination was reportedly recommended to the president by Kennedy and his team, alongside other officials intended to reinforce CDC leadership.
Trump also announced additional appointments on the same day.
Among them are Dr. Sara Brenner, principal deputy commissioner at the US Food and Drug Administration, who will serve as a public health adviser to Kennedy; Dr. Jennifer Shuford, head of the Texas health department, who becomes CDC deputy director and chief medical officer; and Sean Slovenski, a former Walmart and Humana executive, who will take on the role of deputy director and chief operating officer.
Kennedy referenced the incoming leadership team during one of his congressional appearances on Thursday.
“We’re bringing in an extraordinary team. … The team has been leaked, and it’s gotten applause from both Republicans and Democrats,” Kennedy said before the House Appropriations subcommittee on health. “I think this new team is really going to be able to revolutionize CDC and get it back on track and get it doing the job that it does better than any other health agency in the world.”
Schwartz’s background includes significant public health operational experience.
While serving in the Coast Guard, she led disease surveillance and vaccination initiatives and helped draft policy related to pandemic influenza and other viral outbreaks.
She also participated in federal emergency responses to disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.
“When I was Surgeon General, I personally selected Dr. Erica Schwartz as my Deputy,” Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as the nation’s top doctor during the first Trump administration, said in a social media post Thursday. “She has the expertise, credibility, and integrity to lead the CDC effectively. If allowed to follow the science without political interference, she’ll excel. Cautiously optimistic but encouraged by this pick.”
Michael Baker, who directs health care policy at the American Action Forum, also praised Schwartz’s experience, noting her involvement during the COVID-19 response.
“She played a key role in early COVID-19 efforts and was a trusted point of contact for state officials on testing, surveillance, and emergency coordination,” Baker told CNN. “Her strong leadership qualities and wide-ranging view of and expertise in public health are crucial to stabilizing and ultimately strengthening CDC during this tumultuous time.”
The White House faced a legal deadline to appoint a permanent CDC director after Kennedy removed the previous Senate-confirmed leader, Dr. Susan Monarez, in August. Under federal law, Senate-confirmed positions cannot remain filled in an acting capacity beyond 210 days, a limit that expired in late March.
At present, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is serving in a dual capacity as head of both the National Institutes of Health and the CDC, following his tenure as acting CDC director.
If confirmed, Schwartz will assume leadership of an agency undergoing significant internal restructuring, political tension, and workforce disruption.
Monarez had served less than a month before being dismissed by Kennedy after refusing to approve changes to vaccine policy. Her removal triggered resignations among senior officials, deepening instability within the agency.
In the aftermath, a gunman who blamed vaccines for personal health issues attacked CDC headquarters in Atlanta, firing more than 180 rounds into multiple buildings and killing DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose.
The agency had already been experiencing months of disruption, including large-scale workforce reductions that weakened several departments.
Some of those cuts were later reversed following legal challenges. In addition, CDC web content on vaccine safety was altered without scientific consultation, and long-standing statements that vaccines do not cause autism were reportedly softened or questioned.
Kennedy also dissolved a 17-member advisory panel that guided CDC vaccine policy, replacing it with appointees who have often highlighted vaccine risks while downplaying benefits.
A federal court has since blocked parts of those actions, ruling that they likely violated procedural requirements.
At the same time, the US has seen a sharp resurgence of preventable diseases. Measles cases are now at their highest level in three decades, raising concerns that the country could lose its status as having eliminated sustained transmission of the virus. Other illnesses such as whooping cough and mumps have also increased alongside falling vaccination rates.
Schwartz is expected to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for her confirmation hearing.
That committee has yet to vote on another nominee, Dr. Casey Means, who has been nominated for surgeon general. Means previously drew questions from lawmakers over her vaccine-related views during a February hearing, including concerns raised by Republican senators.
When asked about morale within the CDC during Thursday’s hearings, Kennedy maintained that conditions have improved following last year’s restructuring.
“Morale is much better than it was a year ago. I think a year ago, it was really at a nadir. You know, during all the [reductions in force],” he said.
