Trump has begun another trade war. Here's a timeline of how we got here
Canada's leader laments lost friendship with US in town that sheltered stranded Americans after 9/11
Chinese EV giant BYD's fourth-quarter profit leaps 73%
You're an American in another land? Prepare to talk about the why and how of Trump 2.0
Chalk talk: Star power, top teams and No. 5 seeds headline the women's March Madness Sweet 16
Purdue returns to Sweet 16 with 76-62 win over McNeese in March Madness
By Jeff Mason and Michael Erman
(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump plans to nominate Susan Monarez as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the organization she currently leads in an acting capacity, he said on Monday.
Monarez, with 20 years of U.S. government agency experience, was previously deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, a research funding agency that describes itself as supporting "transformative biomedical and health breakthroughs."
She also previously held roles at the Department of Homeland Security and in the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"Dr. Monarez brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site.
"As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement."
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Monarez will continue to lead the response to public health threats, including the growing measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico that has killed two people, and play a critical role in tackling the spread of bird flu.
Atlanta-based CDC, with an annual budget of $17.3 billion, tracks and responds to domestic and foreign threats to public health. Roughly two-thirds of its budget funds the public health and prevention activities of state and local health agencies.
It is also responsible for making vaccine recommendations for Americans, including by setting the childhood vaccination schedule, and funds vaccines for children who otherwise would not have access to them.
Monarez would report to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has sown doubt about the safety of vaccines for decades. Her positions on vaccines are not widely known.
Trump said she would work with Kennedy on disease prevention and making the country healthy.
Monarez is not a physician but has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. She has been a government employee since 2006 and served under both Republican and Democratic presidents.
The White House earlier this month withdrew the nomination of former Republican congressman and vaccine critic Dave Weldon to head the CDC. Weldon told Reuters at the time he had been informed there were not enough Senate votes to confirm him for the post.
The Republican-led Senate has confirmed several unconventional and controversial Trump picks including Kennedy, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who had been critical of U.S. intelligence efforts.
Monarez would require a vote from Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, a doctor who had expressed wariness about Kennedy's anti-vaccine views. He ultimately cleared the path for his confirmation after Kennedy pledged to protect existing vaccination programs.
The White House also considered former Republican Representative Michael Burgess for the role, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters last week.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Michael Erman, Ahmed Aboulenein and Jasper Ward; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard Chang)
