RFK Jr. sets CDC priorities in op-ed after leadership shake-up

Jessica Nix, Bloomberg News on Sep 2, 2025

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should return its focus to tracking infectious diseases and pandemic response less than one week after the agency’s director was fired.

Kennedy outlined six priorities in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece Tuesday including “enhancing scientific rigor” through “ensuring America leads the world in safe, effective vaccines and trusted guidance.” On Aug. 27, Kennedy fired CDC Director Susan Monarez after a confrontation over vaccine policy. Monarez was confirmed to lead the agency by the Senate in July.

“The American people elected President Trump — not entrenched bureaucrats — to set health policy,” Kennedy wrote.

The op-ed is the latest escalation between the Atlanta-based agency and Kennedy over vaccine policy.

After Monarez was fired, three senior leaders, including the directors of the center that studies infectious diseases and the center for emerging diseases, resigned. Following an attack on the agency Aug. 8, Monarez told staff that the shooting was related to the gunman’s views toward the COVID vaccine. Kennedy wouldn’t blame vaccine misinformation as the motive. In June, he removed all the members of the CDC’s influential vaccine panel and installed some people who are vaccine critics.

“We have replaced leaders who have resisted reform,” Kennedy said.

Other priorities outlined by Kennedy in the op-ed include threat protection from infectious diseases by using surveillance and the “Biothreat Radar Detection System” — which currently does not exist and is earmarked for next year’s budget — and investing in disease detectives and epidemiologists.

Kennedy cited the CDC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the overhaul including advocating for masks and social distancing. In an appearance on Fox News last week, Kennedy echoed the same sentiment.

The secretary also claimed the CDC was able to tamp down on the record-breaking measles outbreak in Texas this year by providing expertise and vaccines to the epicenter. An investigation by KFF Health News found that CDC experts were restrained from offering assistance to Texas.