Trump’s CDC nominee Susan Monarez faces immediate backlash from health freedom advocates

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Susan Monarez, Ph.D., as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sparked immediate controversy, with critics from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) and health freedom movements taking to social media to voice their opposition.

The announcement, made yesterday, follows Trump’s decision to withdraw his previous nominee, Dr. David Weldon, who failed to secure sufficient Senate votes due to his controversial comments on the link between vaccines and autism.

Trump’s New Pick and RFK Jr.’s Endorsement

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. strongly defended Monarez’s nomination, stating that she was personally selected for her “compassion, brilliance in microbiology, and tech expertise,” which he believes will help reorient the CDC toward “gold-standard science.”

“X posts that erroneously attribute Biden-era tweets supporting masks, lockdowns, and vaccine mandates to my @CDCgov Director nominee, Susan Monarez, have understandably provoked agita within the MAHA movement,” Kennedy posted. “I handpicked Susan for this job because she is a longtime champion of MAHA values.”

However, not all MAHA supporters shared Kennedy’s enthusiasm. Influential voices in the movement, including the “Died Suddenly” X account and organizations like Health Freedom Louisiana, condemned Monarez’s nomination as a “terrible mistake” and “an absolute travesty.”

X Users Show Overwhelming Opposition

Toby Rogers, Ph.D., who monitored reactions on X following the announcement, reported that support for Monarez was virtually nonexistent, while Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo—rumored to have been a potential nominee—received widespread endorsement.

“Literally ZERO support for Susan Monarez for CDC Director across the 300 million daily active users on X right now… except for people who work for the biowarfare industrial complex,” Rogers wrote.

Controversy Over Past Statements and Biosecurity Work

Much of the backlash against Monarez centers on concerns about her past work and positions. Critics pointed to social media posts made under the CDC’s account supporting vaccine mandates, mask use, and lockdowns—statements that were actually made under former CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen during the Biden administration.

Others raised concerns about Monarez’s extensive background in biosecurity. Jeffrey Tucker of the Brownstone Institute remarked that Monarez “ticks every deep state box,” citing her previous roles at the Department of Homeland Security, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under President George W. Bush.

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Tucker further noted Monarez’s work as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency modeled after DARPA and created by the Biden administration to fund high-risk biomedical research.

Projects funded under Monarez’s tenure included AI-driven predictive health monitoring and controversial data-sharing initiatives with private tech firms and defense contractors like Raytheon.

Despite the criticisms, Tucker acknowledged Monarez’s expertise and suggested that her leadership under RFK Jr. could allow for much-needed transparency and reform at the CDC.

“Cleaning up the mess at the CDC requires more than a pundit or influencer. It requires expert management, deep technical expertise, and experience navigating classified information. Monarez has all of that,” he said. “It takes a hacker to defeat the hackers.”

CDC’s Future under Monarez: Vaccine Policy and Organizational Changes

One of the biggest unknowns regarding Monarez’s leadership is how she will handle vaccine policy.

The CDC, responsible for setting the U.S. immunization schedule, recently announced plans to conduct a major study into potential links between vaccines and autism—before Trump withdrew Weldon’s nomination.

The agency has not clarified whether the study will proceed under Monarez’s leadership.

Currently, the CDC recommends that children receive at least 76 doses of 18 different vaccines, including COVID-19 shots, by age 18.

Critics argue that once a vaccine is placed on the childhood schedule, manufacturers gain broad liability protections, ensuring a continuous revenue stream.

Kennedy has indicated plans to investigate this system and has already postponed the scheduled Feb. 26-28 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Mainstream Media and Internal CDC Reactions

Mainstream media outlets have expressed skepticism about Monarez’s nomination.

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The New York Times reported concerns that she has operated largely as a conduit for White House directives, spending extended periods away from the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters and failing to reassure employees amidst ongoing turmoil.

Adding to the instability, five high-ranking CDC officials announced their resignations today, with the Associated Press calling it the “latest turmoil for the nation’s top public health agency.”

Reports indicate that the Trump administration is reviewing a workforce reduction plan for the CDC and other federal health agencies, fueling further uncertainty.

A Historic Nomination with an Uncertain Path

If confirmed, Monarez will be the first nonphysician to lead the CDC in over 50 years. She holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, but little is publicly known about her stance on broader vaccine policies beyond her endorsement of COVID-19 shots.