Trump Formally Nominates Former Deputy Surgeon General Erica Schwartz as CDC Director Amid Agency Turmoil

President Trump has formally nominated former Deputy Surgeon General Dr. Erica Schwartz to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nomination, announced on social media and in White House statements, must be confirmed by the Senate before Schwartz can lead the agency. Trump also named Sean Slovenski as deputy director and chief operating officer, Dr. Jennifer Shuford as deputy director and chief medical officer, and Dr. Sara Brenner as senior counselor for public health. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has been overseeing CDC operations as acting director during the confirmation period while also directing the National Institutes of Health.

Schwartz is a retired Coast Guard rear admiral who led the service's clinics, served as its chief medical officer and worked as deputy surgeon general in Trump's first term. She holds an MD from Brown, a law degree from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Public Health from the Uniformed Services University. Public endorsements came from former officials and public health figures, including Brett Giroir, former Coast Guard commandant Paul Zukunft and American Public Health Association director Dr. Georges Benjamin. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the new team "extraordinary" and pledged to "revolutionize CDC and get it back on track" at a House appropriations hearing. But the nomination arrives amid more than a year of leadership turmoil at the CDC, staff distrust after program cuts and a drop in public trust to 47 percent in January 2026. PBS and other reporting noted that Susan Monarez was confirmed then ousted within weeks for not aligning with the administration, prompting senior CDC scientists to resign in protest.

Coverage of Schwartz's nomination has shifted from largely positive profiles to more critical accounts that emphasize institutional breakdown and politicization at the agency. Early outlets like Axios and some NPR pieces focused on qualifications, endorsements and Schwartz's experience, while later PBS and additional NPR reporting broadened the frame to include staff distrust and leadership instability. That change helped readers see the pick not just as a personnel move but as a test of whether the administration can restore the CDC's scientific credibility and internal morale.

Schwartz has led nationwide COVID vaccine deployment and described vaccines as a cornerstone of prevention while also promoting lifestyle measures like diet and exercise. That background matters because vaccines like the rotavirus shot prevent an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 hospitalizations among U.S. infants and young children each year. Reactions on social media were mixed, with some users praising Schwartz as a return to steady, science-based leadership and others warning of betrayal over vaccine policies or praising loyalty to Trump.