RFK Jr.’s deputy set to take over CDC amid staff protests

Hold onto your hats, folks — there’s a storm brewing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a major leadership shakeup has staff walking out in protest.

The story in a nutshell: Trump Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Jim O’Neill is poised to step in as acting director of the CDC, replacing the recently ousted Susan Monarez, while hundreds of agency employees staged a walkout in Atlanta over the controversial changes, as the New York Post reports.

Let’s start at the beginning with Susan Monarez, who was sworn in as CDC director less than a month ago. Her tenure came to an abrupt end on Wednesday when the White House gave her the boot after she refused to step down voluntarily.

White House moves swiftly to new leadership

A White House spokesman didn’t mince words, stating, “Monarez was not aligned” with the administration’s health priorities. Well, alignment matters, and it seems the administration is laser-focused on steering the ship in a direction that matches their vision of making America healthier. Turns out, refusing to play ball has consequences.

Enter O’Neill, currently the No. 2 under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been tapped to take the helm as acting director. Multiple outlets report that the White House handpicked O’Neill for the role, a decision confirmed by a Trump administration official.

O’Neill isn’t exactly a stranger to government corridors, having served at HHS and the FDA during the George W. Bush years. He’s also a Silicon Valley investor, former CEO of the Thiel Foundation, and co-founder of the Thiel Fellowship — both backed by billionaire Trump supporter Peter Thiel. Sounds like a resume built for shaking things up, which might be just what the administration ordered.

CDC staffers push back

Monarez’s firing wasn’t the only domino to fall — three top CDC officials also resigned in the aftermath. We’re talking about former chief medical officer Deb Houry, former director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Demetre Daskalakis, and former director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Daniel Jernigan.

The fallout? Hundreds of CDC employees staged a walkout on Thursday at the agency’s Atlanta headquarters, clearly unhappy with the direction things are heading. It’s a bold move, and one can’t help but wonder if this protest will shift the narrative or just add fuel to the fire.

During the rally, Houry, Daskalakis, and Jernigan made appearances and were met with cheers from the crowd. An organizer of the protest wasn’t thrilled with how the trio was handled, saying they were “escorted out” of the building that morning in a way that felt disrespectful. If true, that’s a bit of a cold shoulder for folks who’ve dedicated years to public health.

Resignations highlight policy disagreements

Daskalakis, who once served as the national monkeypox response coordinator under a previous administration, didn’t hold back in his resignation letter. He pointed to changes in COVID-19 guidance for vulnerable groups and the dismissal of scientists from a key advisory panel via social media as reasons for his exit.

He went on to say, “My grandfather… stood up to fascist forces” and paid the ultimate price, framing his resignation as a stand for principle. It’s a heavy statement, but one might argue that equating policy disagreements to historical tyranny is a stretch — sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and a policy change is just that.

Monarez’s legal team also came out swinging, claiming she was targeted for refusing to endorse what they called “unscientific, reckless directives” and for protecting dedicated experts. That’s a serious accusation, but without specifics, it’s hard to separate fact from frustration. The administration might counter that leadership means following a unified strategy, not cherry-picking which rules to follow.

What’s next for CDC?

As O’Neill prepares to step into this hot seat, the question looms: can he steady a ship rocked by internal dissent? His background in tech investment and prior government roles suggests a pragmatic, results-driven approach—something many conservatives might welcome after years of what they see as bureaucratic overreach.

Still, the walkout and resignations signal deep divisions within the CDC, and bridging that gap won’t be easy. Employees are clearly passionate, and while their frustration is understandable, one might gently suggest that change — however jarring — is sometimes necessary to break free from stale, progressive-driven policies.

For now, all eyes are on O’Neill and how he’ll navigate this turbulent transition. The administration’s health agenda is on the line, and with staff morale in the gutter, his first task might be less about policy and more about proving that leadership isn’t just a title — it’s a responsibility to unite. Here’s hoping he’s up for the challenge, because America’s health deserves nothing less.