President Donald Trump has nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general and Coast Guard rear admiral, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The announcement was made via Truth Social on Thursday, April 17, 2026, where Trump praised Schwartz’s background in public health and military service, describing her as having the credentials to “restore the GOLD STANDARD OF SCIENCE” at the agency.
Schwartz, who holds degrees from Brown University (medical degree) and the University of Maryland (law degree), along with a Master of Public Health, served for 24 years in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. During Trump’s first term, she served as deputy surgeon general and contributed to pandemic influenza policy within the Coast Guard. Her nomination comes after a period of instability at the CDC, which has operated without a Senate-confirmed director since September 2024, when former director Susan Monarez was removed following disagreements with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Over vaccine policy.
Monarez had written in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that she was fired for refusing to endorse vaccine recommendations from an advisory panel that included several vaccine skeptics appointed by Kennedy. Since then, Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, has been overseeing the CDC in an acting capacity. Trump’s nomination of Schwartz is intended to fill the vacancy and bring stability to an agency that has faced public criticism, workforce reductions, and a resurgence of preventable diseases like measles across the United States.
The White House also announced accompanying appointments: Sean Slovenski as deputy director and chief operating officer, Jennifer Shuford as deputy director and chief medical officer, and Sara Brenner as senior counselor for public health to HHS Secretary Kennedy. Trump described the team as having the expertise and top-tier credentials needed to rebuild public trust in the CDC’s scientific guidance.
Public health experts have noted Schwartz’s reputation as a pro-vaccine advocate with deep experience in federal health operations. Her background in both clinical medicine and public health administration positions her to navigate the complex challenges facing the agency, including restoring workforce morale, addressing declining vaccination rates, and responding to ongoing threats from infectious diseases.
The nomination now moves to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. If approved, Schwartz would turn into the first Senate-confirmed CDC director since Rochelle Walensky’s tenure ended in 2023. Her leadership would mark a shift in the administration’s approach to public health following months of internal conflict and policy shifts under Kennedy’s influence at HHS.
As of Friday, April 18, 2026, no date has been set for a Senate hearing on the nomination. The public and health officials are awaiting further developments in the confirmation process, which will determine the future direction of the nation’s leading public health agency.
For updates on the nomination and CDC leadership, readers can follow official announcements from the White House and the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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