CDC officials who quit in protest lead call to ‘get politics out of public health’

<p>Staffers gather in Atlanta to applaud senior leaders who resigned after CDC chief Susan Monarez was fired</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/aug/28/cdc-susan-monarez-trump-news-updates-us-politics-live">US politics live – latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/28/cdc-leaders-quit-susan-monarez-firing">Who’s who in the CDC crisis?</a></p></li></ul><p>Senior CDC vaccine research and public health leaders who resigned in protest told hundreds of supporters across the street from campus on Thursday that the Trump administration needs to “get politics out of public health”.</p><p>The agency is reeling from the firing of the CDC chief, Susan Monarez, but Monarez, who was confirmed as CDC chief just a month ago, has refused to be removed. Four senior leaders – Debra Houry, Demetre Daskalakis, Daniel Jernigan and Jennifer Layden – then resigned in protest, citing the alleged spread of misinformation under the Trump administration and political interference in their work. The staffers cheered and applauded them at the event on Thursday.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/28/cdc-rally-staffers-protest">Continue reading...</a>