dek: In a fast-moving leadership shake-up, the White House named Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top deputy as acting CDC director after an unprecedented clash over vaccine policy and the contested removal of the Senate-confirmed incumbent.
Note: Reporting on August 28–29, 2025 indicates this decision was made by the Trump administration, not the Biden administration. Jim O’Neill, a senior deputy to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was tapped to serve as acting CDC director following efforts to oust Susan Monarez. The Washington Post
What happened—and why it matters now
On August 28, 2025, the White House selected Jim O’Neill—longtime RFK Jr. ally and HHS deputy—to serve as acting CDC director. The move followed a public confrontation over vaccine policy and the abrupt attempt to remove Susan Monarez less than a month after her Senate confirmation. Newsrooms from Washington to Atlanta described the appointment as a dramatic escalation of an internal fight over whether politics or science will guide the agency. The Washington PostAxios
Monarez’s attorneys quickly challenged the legality of her ouster, arguing that only the president can dismiss a Senate-confirmed officer and that she had refused to resign. That dispute—paired with simultaneous senior resignations—left the CDC without clear day-to-day leadership even as respiratory virus season looms. Barron’sReuters
How we got here: the Monarez tenure
The Senate confirmed Susan Monarez on July 29, 2025, after a bruising but ultimately successful vote. She was sworn in on July 31 and began articulating a back-to-basics platform: rebuild staff, rebuild trust, and keep guidance rooted in empirical evidence. Her confirmation was seen as a stabilizer after years of turbulence at the agency’s helm. American Hospital AssociationCDC
But the relationship with HHS deteriorated quickly. Multiple outlets report that Monarez resisted directives to roll back vaccine recommendations and to sideline career experts—a stance that put her at odds with RFK Jr.’s policy goals. By late August, the White House claimed she was “not aligned” with the administration’s agenda, while Monarez’s counsel said she was being punished for refusing unscientific orders. Reuters
The legal fight over who can fire a CDC director
Monarez’s lawyers say the attempted removal is invalid unless executed by the president and reflected in proper paperwork; short of that, they argue, the CDC director remains in office. This creates a gray zone in which an acting CDC director has been named while the Senate-confirmed CDC director disputes her dismissal. Congressional overseers have already signaled interest in investigating the episode and its fallout for public health governance. Reuters
That legal complexity matters because continuity of command at a public health agency is not academic: budgets, emergency declarations, and interagency agreements require clear authority. The tug-of-war over the CDC director’s status risks slowing decisions on surveillance, vaccine guidance, and state partnerships just as school calendars and viral season collide.
Who is Jim O’Neill—and what might change
The acting CDC director, Jim O’Neill, is best known for prior stints in biotech investing and government service, and more recently as RFK Jr.’s deputy at HHS. Supporters tout his reformer’s zeal and management bona fides; critics warn he lacks deep epidemiology chops and may press to overhaul vaccine advisory processes and evidence thresholds. His appointment signals a tighter alignment between HHS leadership and the CDC director’s office on high-salience debates like COVID-19, childhood immunizations, and maternal-health recommendations. The Washington PostAxios
Collateral damage: resignations and morale
Within hours of the shake-up, several senior officials resigned or were escorted from CDC headquarters, citing political interference and concern for the agency’s scientific core. These included leaders in immunization, emergency response, and the chief medical office—vacancies that compound uncertainty for programs ranging from respiratory virus surveillance to outbreak rapid response. The immediate picture: a beleaguered workforce, a contested CDC director’s chair, and a new acting CDC director trying to establish control. The GuardianABC7 Los Angeles
Policy stakes: not just about COVID
The CDC director sets the tone for far more than pandemic planning. The post touches asthma and opioid prevention, HIV strategy, food-borne outbreaks, lab biosafety, and global health security. If the acting CDC director seeks to rewrite vaccine guidance, restructure advisory committees, or revise how evidence is weighed, those changes could ripple into school requirements, Medicare coverage decisions, and state procurement cycles. Lawmakers are already asking whether an acting appointment will pursue durable policy resets without the deliberation normally used for CDC guidance. Reuters
Credibility and communications
A resilient CDC depends on public trust: clear, consistent messages that explain risk and rationale. That task becomes harder when the identity of the CDC director is disputed and when top scientists exit. For an acting CDC director stepping in amid controversy, the first order of business is to steady the communications cadence—especially on vaccines and respiratory precautions—so clinicians, schools, and local health departments aren’t left guessing. The optics of dueling statements can make even routine updates feel politicized, undermining uptake of sound recommendations.
Congress steps in
Senate HELP Committee leaders announced plans to review the leadership turmoil and its implications for the agency’s mission. Expect hearings to probe whether political directives overrode scientific review, whether the process for removing a Senate-confirmed CDC director was proper, and what guardrails are needed to protect evidence-based decision-making. At minimum, oversight will keep the pressure on both the White House and the acting CDC director to explain the policy path forward. Reuters
What to watch next
-
Legal clarity: Does the White House issue a formal presidential removal to settle the status of the CDC director, or does litigation ensue? 2) Operational continuity: Can the acting CDC director fill critical leadership gaps fast enough to keep fall respiratory guidance on schedule? 3) Policy resets: Which recommendations change—and do they follow transparent, peer-reviewed processes? 4) Staff retention: Do additional resignations accelerate, or does a stabilization plan stem the losses? 5) Public response: Will states and medical societies align with new guidance, or issue their own? Early agency pages already show a director vacancy—a signal of how unsettled the leadership picture remains. CDC
Bottom line
The appointment of RFK Jr.’s deputy as acting CDC director is more than a personnel swap; it’s a stress test for the boundary between politics and science. With the CDC director role contested and the agency’s bench thinned, decisions made in the next few weeks—by the White House, by Congress, and by the acting CDC director—will shape how much of the CDC’s guidance the public and the health-care system are willing to follow.
Further Reading & Sources
-
Washington Post — White House taps RFK Jr. deputy Jim O’Neill as acting CDC director. The Washington Post
-
Reuters — Monarez’s firing and clash with Secretary Kennedy over vaccine policy; legal dispute over her removal. Reuters
-
Reuters — Senate HELP to review departures; legal team asserts only the president can fire a Senate-confirmed CDC director. Reuters
-
AP/ABC syndication — Agency turmoil, removals, and escorts from headquarters. ABC7 Los Angeles
-
CIDRAP — Senate confirmation of Susan Monarez (July 29, 2025). CIDRAP
-
CDC — Current leadership page showing director vacancy (Aug. 28, 2025). CDC
Further Reading
- BBC US & Canada — White House names RFK Jr deputy as replacement CDC director
- BBC World — White House names RFK Jr deputy as replacement CDC director
Connect with the Author
Curious about the inspiration behind The Unmaking of America or want to follow the latest news and insights from J.T. Mercer? Dive deeper and stay connected through the links below:
-
About the Author
Discover more about J.T. Mercer’s background, writing journey, and the real-world events that inspired The Unmaking of America. Learn what drives the storytelling and how this trilogy came to life. -
NRP Dispatch Blog
Stay informed with the NRP Dispatch blog, where you’ll find author updates, behind-the-scenes commentary, and thought-provoking articles on current events, democracy, and the writing process.
Whether you’re interested in the creative process, want to engage with fellow readers, or simply want the latest updates, these resources are the best way to stay in touch with the world of The Unmaking of America and beyond.
Free Chapter
Begin reading The Unmaking of America today and experience a story that asks: What remains when the rules are gone, and who will stand up when it matters most? Join the Fall of America mailing list below to receive the first chapter of The Unmaking of America for free and stay connected for updates, bonus material, and author news.
Connect with the Author
Curious about the inspiration behind The Unmaking of America or want to follow the latest news and insights from J.T. Mercer? Dive deeper and stay connected through the links below—then explore Vera2 for sharp, timely reporting.
About the Author
Discover more about J.T. Mercer’s background, writing journey, and the real-world events that inspired The Unmaking of America. Learn what drives the storytelling and how this trilogy came to life.
[Learn more about J.T. Mercer]
NRP Dispatch Blog
Stay informed with the NRP Dispatch blog, where you’ll find author updates, behind-the-scenes commentary, and thought-provoking articles on current events, democracy, and the writing process.
[Read the NRP Dispatch]
Vera2 — News & Analysis
Looking for the latest reporting, explainers, and investigative pieces? Visit Vera2, North River Publications’ news and analysis hub. Vera2 covers politics, civil society, global affairs, courts, technology, and more—curated with context and built for readers who want clarity over noise.
[Explore Vera2]
Whether you’re interested in the creative process, want to engage with fellow readers, or simply want the latest updates, these resources are the best way to stay in touch with the world of The Unmaking of America—and with the broader news ecosystem at Vera2.
Free Chapter
Begin reading The Unmaking of America today and experience a story that asks: What remains when the rules are gone, and who will stand up when it matters most? Join the Fall of America mailing list below to receive the first chapter of The Unmaking of America for free and stay connected for updates, bonus material, and author news.
