Erica Schwartz was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as the new head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
With this confirmation, the CDC gains a new leader after nearly a year of interim directors. The most recent acting director was Jay Bhattacharya, who is also the director of the National Institutes of Health. Susan Monarez, the first CDC director appointed in the Trump administration, was dismissed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in August 2025, after serving less than a month.
Before taking on the role of CDC chief, Schwartz held the position of deputy surgeon general during the initial Trump administration. This civilian role is not subject to political appointment. She also served as a rear admiral and chief medical officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.
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During a recent Senate hearing before her confirmation, Schwartz stated her commitment to challenge Kennedy on public health issues if necessary. Her predecessor, Monarez, claimed her removal was due to her refusal to approve certain vaccine policies without question. The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately provide a comment for this story.
“If I’m confirmed as a CDC director, the nation’s health and well-being will take primacy, and I will never compromise on that,” Schwartz declared during the hearing.
Schwartz assumes control of the CDC at a critical time: the U.S. is grappling with a widespread measles outbreak and a surge in cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection traced to iceberg lettuce, which has resulted in at least two fatalities. Additionally, public trust in the CDC is at a low point. A poll from June revealed that only 50 percent of Americans trusted the agency’s health recommendations, down from 77 percent in the spring of 2025.
Editor’s Note (8/5/26): This is a developing story and may be updated.
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