"You're Fired"...Trump Administration Continues Senior Dismissals from Fed to CDC

Controversy is spreading after the Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was abruptly dismissed just one month after taking office. While the Donald Trump administration claims it is pursuing CDC reform, there is strong backlash within the CDC, with officials arguing that "conspiracy theorists are putting the lives of the public at risk."

On August 28 (local time), Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, stated in a Fox News interview that the CDC is a deeply problematic agency, adding, "We are correcting it."

Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (left), and Susan Monarez, Director of the CDC. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

원본보기 아이콘

Secretary Kennedy is well known as a 'vaccine conspiracy theorist.' He has claimed that vaccines cause autism and that the CDC recommends vaccines due to lobbying from the pharmaceutical industry. He referred to the CDC as a "vehicle for misinformation," citing its recognition of vaccines as a modern medical achievement. Kennedy also singled out recently dismissed CDC Director Susan Monarez and other high-ranking officials who recently left the CDC, stating, "There are people who should no longer be working there."

Director Monarez was dismissed just one month into her tenure after clashing with higher authorities over efforts to overturn vaccine policy. Her legal team stated that she refused to comply with what they described as Secretary Kennedy's "unscientific and reckless directives." Previously, in June, Secretary Kennedy also dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Some of the eight newly appointed members are known to be vaccine opponents.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing that day that President Donald Trump "has the right to fire anyone who does not align with his mission."

This is not the first time the Trump administration has dismissed high-ranking officials who do not conform to its policy direction. On August 25, Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board, was notified of her dismissal over allegations of mortgage fraud. This marks the first time in the 112-year history of the Federal Reserve that a sitting Board member has been dismissed by the President. President Trump has repeatedly urged the Fed to cut interest rates and pressured Chairman Jerome Powell to resign. On August 1, he dismissed Director Erica McEntaffer, claiming that employment statistics had been revised to favor the Democratic Party.

As a result, there are growing warnings both inside and outside the CDC that the loss of scientific leadership could threaten public health in the United States. Dr. Debra Houry, who left the CDC along with Director Monarez, told the Washington Post (WP) that concerns are mounting that the ACIP could undermine recommendations for key vaccines, adding, "If the CDC lacks scientific leadership, that's the end of it."

원본보기 아이콘

With the successive dismissals of high-ranking officials who deviate from government policy, there are growing concerns that the administration's abuse of personnel authority will become a major issue. The New York Times (NYT) reported that criticism is intensifying from both parties within the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Some observers warn that the Trump administration's repeated dismissals could undermine trust in agencies that are supposed to maintain political independence. There are concerns that the neutrality of agencies responsible for providing key information to guide government policy decisions could be lost.

Chris Edelson, assistant professor of political science at American University, stated, "These agencies should not be partisan," adding, "The greatest risk is that the agencies lose public trust and people can no longer rely on them."

Meanwhile, President Trump became famous for the catchphrase "YOU'RE FIRED" on NBC's reality TV show "The Apprentice."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.