CDC nominee Erica Schwartz vows 'never betray the science' but declines to defy RFK Jr. directives

Dr. Erica Schwartz faced pointed questions from U.S. senators on Wednesday during her confirmation hearing to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as lawmakers pressed her on whether she would shield the agency from political interference.

Schwartz, 54, told the Senate health committee she "will never betray the science" and pledged to adopt "radical transparency" to restore public trust in the agency. However, several senators questioned how she would handle pressure from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , who has repeatedly moved to alter vaccine and CDC policies. Schwartz repeatedly declined to distance herself from some of those actions.

Background and Career

Schwartz is nominated to lead the Atlanta-based CDC, the agency responsible for protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her career has largely been in military service, including:

• A leadership role at the U.S. Coast Guard, where she oversaw 41 clinics and 150 sick bays, as well as policies promoting vaccinations for service members
• Service as deputy surgeon general, where she helped lead uniformed medical and health professionals stationed at the CDC and other federal health agencies serving the public

CDC Turmoil Under Trump Administration

The CDC, once internationally renowned, has been in turmoil since President Trump returned to office last year. Key developments include:

• Workforce losses: More than 3,000 employees have left due to layoffs and resignations—over a quarter of the agency's workforce
• Low morale: A succession of mostly temporary leaders has come and gone, with the front office filled by political appointees, many lacking medical or public health training
• Leadership instability: The agency has seen multiple directors in rapid succession

"There's still really good people who work there. They are doing their best to navigate choppy waters," said Dr. David Margolius, director of Cleveland's health department and a leader in a U.S. coalition of big-city health departments. However, he noted the CDC no longer serves as the authoritative, communicative lead on outbreaks and public health emergencies. "Basically everybody's got to kind of choose their own adventure, as opposed to being led by a national public health department," Margolius said.

Kennedy's Role and Vaccine Policy Changes

The CDC is overseen by Kennedy, a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before his appointment. Despite promising not to alter the nation's vaccination schedule, Kennedy soon announced plans to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and attempted a substantial rewrite of vaccine recommendations for children. Some of those efforts were put on hold earlier this year by a federal judge.

Previous CDC Director Appointments

The administration's first pick to lead the CDC, former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon, had his March 2025 Senate confirmation hearing canceled an hour before it was to begin. Weldon said he was told not enough senators were willing to vote for him.

The White House then nominated Susan Monarez, who had been serving as acting CDC director. Monarez was confirmed by the Senate but ousted in less than a month. Trump administration officials said she was not aligned with their agenda. Several key CDC scientific leaders resigned in protest, saying Monarez's dismissal dashed hopes that a director could guard against political meddling in scientific research and health recommendations.

Since then, the acting director role has been passed among Washington-based HHS officials. National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya has most recently been overseeing the CDC.

Hearing Highlights

During Wednesday's hearing, senators pressed Schwartz on actions taken by Kennedy that have affected the CDC:

• Schwartz said she was unaware that CDC programs aimed at preventing smoking and promoting vaccinations had been curtailed
• She declined to commit to removing a CDC website suggesting a link between childhood vaccines and autism, saying she had not seen it, though she agreed existing medical evidence has found no such link
• Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) asked if Schwartz would suspend promotion of a flu vaccination campaign during a deadly flu season if ordered by Kennedy. Schwartz responded, "Senator, I don't speak in hypotheticals." Hassan countered, "It isn't hypothetical. It happened," citing internal CDC emails released by Sen. Bernie Sanders last month documenting such a directive from Kennedy to CDC staff last year. Schwartz said she agreed the CDC should prioritize public health and science but did not directly address the specific incident.